Total enrollment
1,712
-16 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
6 schools in Prairie Central CUSD 8
Illinois · 1,712 students · 4 cities
From elementary through high school, Prairie Central CUSD 8 runs 6 public K-12 schools (3 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high), with combined enrollment of about 1,712.
4-year change in Prairie Central CUSD 8
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
6
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Prairie Central CUSD 8 ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In Illinois | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 42.7% | #166 of 327 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,712 | #212 of 508 | #4,966 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 6 | #122 of 508 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.2:1 | #138 of 506 | #2,248 of 9,044 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 46.0% | #255 of 456 | #4,761 of 8,164 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 28.2% | #262 of 341 | #4,991 of 6,853 |
Districts need at least 2 schools and 500 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Inside Prairie Central CUSD 8
State test results across the district's 4 scored schools run from Prairie Central Upper Elementary at 55.6% proficient to Prairie Central High School at 36.3%, a gap of 19.3 points. That is the 83rd widest gap among 172 Illinois districts with four or more scored schools.
Since 2017-18, the 6 district schools that reported both years went from 1,887 to 1,712 students (down 9%) and from 139 to 140 full-time teachers (up 1%), as of 2024-25.
Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across each school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25; schools with fewer than 100 students and schools serving specialized populations are left out. Staffing figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data and count only schools that reported students and teachers in both years.
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Central High School | Fairbury | High | 09-12 | 487 |
| Prairie Central Elem School | Fairbury | Elementary | 02-04 | 367 |
| Prairie Central Jr High School | Forrest | Middle | 07-08 | 250 |
| Prairie Central Primary West | Chenoa | Elementary | PK-01 | 244 |
| Prairie Central Upper Elementary | Forrest | Middle | 05-06 | 216 |
| Prairie Central Primary East | Chatsworth | Elementary | PK-01 | 148 |
About Prairie Central CUSD 8
Prairie Central CUSD 8 is a rural-scale public-school district in Illinois. The district oversees 6 schools and educates approximately 1,712 students.
On the school-mix side, Prairie Central CUSD 8 consists of 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high school.
Per-school enrollment averages around 285 in this district, meaningfully below the Illinois typical of 480.
Looking at the last 4 years. Total public-school enrollment in Prairie Central CUSD 8 has stayed largely flat since SY 2020-21, moving from about 1,728 students to 1,712.
On allk12, the community for Prairie Central CUSD 8 discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.