Illini West High School

Illini West High School is one of the close-knit high schools in Carthage, Illinois, overseen by Illini West H S Dist 307, with 349 students on its rolls from grades 9 through 12. That puts it 58% leaner than the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 834 students.

Illini West High School sits inside Illini West H S Dist 307, the local public-school operator responsible for the campus.

Looking at the student body, Illini West High School lists that nearly all students (92%) are White. Other groups include 4% Hispanic, 2% multiracial. That composition is broadly in line with Hancock County as a whole.

On the resource side, The school employs 23 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.0:1. The state averages around 13.8:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Roughly 54% of students at Illini West High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

With demographic context factored in, Illini West High School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 40.6% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 32.1%.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Hancock County) reports that median household earnings sit near $65,865, roughly 25% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Hancock County runs 15 public schools (combined enrollment of about 2,703 students), of which Illini West High School is one.

The closest other public school is Carthage Primary School, roughly 0.0 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Illini West High School. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Illini West High School ranks 7th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 43.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a rural area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count expanded 5%: 332 students in 2018 compared to 349 in 2025. The White share of enrollment contracted from 97% to 92% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio widened from 13.2:1 in 2018 to 15.0:1 today.

On allk12, members of the Illini West High School community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.