Prairie Central Community Unit School District 8 spent $14,477 per student in fiscal year 2024, placing 584th in Illinois for per-pupil expenditures, the Illinois State Board of Education reported.
The amount spent per student in the district was below the statewide average of $20,129 per student.
Enrollment stood at 1,685 students, and the district’s total spending reached an estimated $24,393,745 in fiscal year 2024.
A year earlier, per-student spending in Prairie Central Community Unit School District 8 was $14,014.
Venice Community Unit School District 3 led Illinois with $52,770 in per-pupil spending for fiscal year 2024, while Aviston School District 21 was at the bottom with $8,594 per student.
Prairie Central Community Unit School District 8 serves about six schools and is headquartered in Fairbury.
Illinois remains one of the nation’s higher spenders on K-12 education, ranking 11th nationally for per-pupil spending. Federal sources contribute about 12.6% of education funding; the majority comes from state and local governments.
State lawmakers passed a $55.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, which includes $307 million to fully support the K-12 Evidence-Based Funding formula. The plan also eliminates the Property Tax Relief Grant, which could result in property taxes rising by approximately $43 million.
Per-Pupil Spending in Prairie Central Community Unit School District 8 vs. Illinois Over 5 Years
Top 200 Illinois School Districts by Per-Pupil Spending in Fiscal Year 2024
| Rank | School District | Per-Pupil Spending | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venice Community Unit School District 3 | $52,770 | 84 |
| 2 | Ohio Community High School District 505 | $49,976 | 26 |
| 3 | Rondout School District 72 | $40,906 | 146 |
| 4 | Rich Township High School District 227 | $40,371 | 2,304 |
| 5 | Rosemont Elementary School District 78 | $38,359 | 202 |
| 6 | Lake Forest Community High School District 115 | $37,230 | 1,366 |
| 7 | Township High School District 113 | $36,811 | 3,060 |
| 8 | Laraway Community Consolidated School District 70C | $36,583 | 452 |
| 9 | Union School District 81 | $36,326 | 122 |
| 10 | Gardner-South Wilmington Township High School District 73 | $34,654 | 153 |
| 11 | New Trier Township High School District 203 | $34,174 | 3,700 |
| 12 | Crescent Iroquois Community Unit School District 249 | $34,118 | 50 |
| 13 | Seneca Township High School District 160 | $34,016 | 355 |
| 14 | Thornton Township High School District 205 | $33,822 | 4,239 |
| 15 | Bannockburn School District 106 | $33,374 | 169 |
| 16 | Niles Township Community High School District 219 | $33,087 | 4,549 |
| 17 | Deer Park Community Consolidated School District 82 | $32,897 | 35 |
| 18 | Ford Heights School District 169 | $32,498 | 415 |
| 19 | Kenilworth School District 38 | $31,666 | 482 |
| 20 | Forest Park School District 91 | $31,509 | 694 |
| 21 | General George Patton School District 133 | $31,225 | 205 |
| 22 | Hinsdale Township High School District 86 | $30,822 | 3,774 |
| 23 | Lindop School District 92 | $30,717 | 309 |
| 24 | Sunset Ridge School District 29 | $30,538 | 484 |
| 25 | Ludlow Community Consolidated School District 142 | $30,271 | 47 |
| 26 | Butler School District 53 | $30,252 | 468 |
| 27 | Cairo Unit School District 1 | $30,178 | 292 |
| 28 | East St. Louis School District 189 | $29,713 | 4,536 |
| 29 | Libertyville Community High School District 128 | $29,620 | 3,242 |
| 30 | Grass Lake School District 36 | $29,520 | 176 |
| 31 | Evanston Township High School District 202 | $29,302 | 3,499 |
| 32 | Northfield Township High School District 225 | $29,188 | 5,030 |
| 33 | Avoca School District 37 | $29,087 | 614 |
| 34 | Dolton School District 148 | $28,676 | 1,968 |
| 35 | Leyden Community High School District 212 | $28,508 | 3,522 |
| 36 | Community Consolidated School District 180 | $28,233 | 477 |
| 37 | Winnetka School District 36 | $28,121 | 1,710 |
| 38 | Dwight Township High School District 230 | $27,824 | 201 |
| 39 | Madison Community Unit School District 12 | $27,799 | 588 |
| 40 | Fenton Community High School District 100 | $27,584 | 1,371 |
| 41 | Evanston Community Consolidated School District 65 | $27,505 | 6,193 |
| 42 | Northbrook School District 28 | $27,440 | 1,842 |
| 43 | Chicago Public School District 299 | $27,439 | 321,668 |
| 44 | Salt Creek School District 48 | $27,409 | 495 |
| 45 | Brooklyn Community Unit School District 188 | $27,354 | 128 |
| 46 | Cahokia Community Unit School District 187 | $27,242 | 3,021 |
| 47 | Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125 | $27,227 | 4,573 |
| 48 | Rutland Community Consolidated School District 230 | $27,089 | 65 |
| 49 | Summit School District 104 | $26,830 | 1,423 |
| 50 | Maine Township High School District 207 | $26,614 | 6,138 |
| 51 | Glencoe School District 35 | $26,572 | 1,202 |
| 52 | Oak Park and River Forest District 200 | $26,540 | 3,226 |
| 53 | New Holland-Middletown Elementary School District 88 | $26,495 | 67 |
| 54 | Community High School District 99 | $26,478 | 4,630 |
| 55 | Westmont Community Unit School District 201 | $26,446 | 1,300 |
| 56 | Lake Forest School District 67 | $26,016 | 1,650 |
| 57 | Elementary School District 159 | $25,954 | 1,624 |
| 58 | Township High School District 214 | $25,929 | 11,956 |
| 59 | Richmond-Burton Community High School District 157 | $25,807 | 531 |
| 60 | Northbrook Elementary School District 27 | $25,802 | 1,325 |
| 61 | Skokie School District 73-5 | $25,699 | 1,039 |
| 62 | Argo Community High School District 217 | $25,652 | 1,771 |
| 63 | Erie Community Unit School District 1 | $25,601 | 606 |
| 64 | Des Plaines Community Consolidated School District 62 | $25,505 | 4,444 |
| 65 | Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233 | $25,498 | 2,751 |
| 66 | Rhodes School District 84-5 | $25,336 | 491 |
| 67 | La Moille Community Unit School District 303 | $25,334 | 171 |
| 68 | Community High School District 218 | $25,196 | 5,429 |
| 69 | Steward Elementary School District 220 | $25,151 | 56 |
| 70 | Lisle Community Unit School District 202 | $25,138 | 1,486 |
| 71 | Saunemin Community Consolidated School District 438 | $25,093 | 117 |
| 72 | Bremen Community High School District 228 | $25,021 | 4,854 |
| 73 | Grayslake Community High School District 127 | $25,012 | 2,493 |
| 74 | Danville Community Consolidated School District 118 | $24,894 | 4,738 |
| 75 | Meridian Community Unit School District 101 | $24,796 | 431 |
| 76 | Lee Center Community Unit School District 271 | $24,720 | 122 |
| 77 | Hillside School District 93 | $24,646 | 423 |
| 78 | Ohio Community Consolidated School District 17 | $24,599 | 73 |
| 79 | Zion Elementary School District 6 | $24,577 | 2,092 |
| 80 | Proviso Township High School District 209 | $24,460 | 4,125 |
| 81 | Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 | $24,444 | 1,239 |
| 82 | Tri-Point Community Unit School District 6-J | $24,418 | 376 |
| 83 | DuPage High School District 88 | $24,367 | 3,715 |
| 84 | North Shore School District 112 | $24,258 | 3,739 |
| 85 | Deland-Weldon Community Unit School District 57 | $24,220 | 166 |
| 86 | Fairmont School District 89 | $24,193 | 283 |
| 87 | Lyons Township High School District 204 | $24,112 | 3,713 |
| 88 | West Northfield School District 31 | $24,007 | 947 |
| 89 | Durand Community Unit School District 322 | $23,973 | 531 |
| 90 | Central Stickney School District 110 | $23,945 | 296 |
| 91 | Meredosia-Chambersburg Community Unit School District 11 | $23,910 | 211 |
| 92 | La Salle Elementary School District 122 | $23,908 | 890 |
| 93 | Township High School District 211 | $23,845 | 12,117 |
| 94 | Springfield School District 186 | $23,840 | 12,849 |
| 95 | Brussels Community Unit School District 42 | $23,837 | 84 |
| 96 | Woodland Community Unit School District 5 | $23,798 | 450 |
| 97 | Park Forest School District 163 | $23,671 | 1,508 |
| 98 | Hazel Crest School District 152-5 | $23,605 | 829 |
| 99 | Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 | $23,585 | 13,546 |
| 100 | Mannheim School District 83 | $23,570 | 2,378 |
| 101 | La Grange School District 105 South | $23,403 | 1,168 |
| 102 | Antioch Community High School District 117 | $23,379 | 2,567 |
| 103 | West Harvey-Dixmoor Public School District 147 | $23,325 | 726 |
| 104 | Posen-Robbins Elementary School District 143-5 | $23,295 | 1,201 |
| 105 | Chicago Heights School District 170 | $23,271 | 2,603 |
| 106 | Spring Lake Community Consolidated School District 606 | $23,265 | 37 |
| 107 | Lostant Community Unit School District 425 | $23,250 | 56 |
| 108 | Mundelein Consolidated High School District 120 | $23,233 | 2,241 |
| 109 | Country Club Hills School District 160 | $23,217 | 993 |
| 110 | South Holland School District 151 | $23,186 | 1,402 |
| 111 | Community Consolidated School District 93 | $23,173 | 3,264 |
| 112 | Scales Mound Community Unit School District 211 | $23,156 | 255 |
| 113 | Lincolnwood School District 74 | $23,147 | 1,200 |
| 114 | Lake Bluff Elementary School District 65 | $23,116 | 874 |
| 115 | Glenbard Township High School District 87 | $23,092 | 7,606 |
| 116 | Elwood Community Consolidated School District 203 | $23,056 | 270 |
| 117 | Bellwood School District 88 | $22,992 | 1,939 |
| 118 | East Prairie School District 73 | $22,887 | 524 |
| 119 | Bloom Township High School District 206 | $22,815 | 3,079 |
| 120 | Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 | $22,787 | 3,143 |
| 121 | Will County School District 92 | $22,670 | 1,408 |
| 122 | Ridgewood Community High School District 234 | $22,650 | 919 |
| 123 | Crete-Monee Community Unit School District 201-U | $22,641 | 4,407 |
| 124 | Grant Community High School District 124 | $22,586 | 1,778 |
| 125 | Fairview School District 72 | $22,565 | 685 |
| 126 | Allen-Otter Creek Community Consolidated School District 65 | $22,521 | 92 |
| 127 | Lemont Township High School District 210 | $22,481 | 1,301 |
| 128 | Eswood Community Consolidated School District 269 | $22,449 | 69 |
| 129 | Lake Park Community High School District 108 | $22,421 | 2,526 |
| 130 | Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 | $22,402 | 3,531 |
| 131 | LaSalle-Peru Township High School District 120 | $22,372 | 1,167 |
| 132 | Deerfield School District 109 | $22,330 | 2,707 |
| 133 | Community Consolidated School District 168 | $22,314 | 1,200 |
| 134 | Skokie School District 69 | $22,243 | 1,819 |
| 135 | Wilmette School District 39 | $22,241 | 3,257 |
| 136 | Diamond Lake School District 76 | $22,226 | 821 |
| 137 | Hoover-Schrum Memorial School District 157 | $22,173 | 768 |
| 138 | Benjamin School District 25 | $22,171 | 632 |
| 139 | Mount Vernon Township High School District 201 | $22,168 | 1,205 |
| 140 | Burnham School District 154-5 | $22,135 | 140 |
| 141 | Matteson Elementary School District 162 | $22,086 | 2,335 |
| 142 | Cicero School District 99 | $22,036 | 8,555 |
| 143 | Barrington Community Unit School District 220 | $21,941 | 7,971 |
| 144 | Community Consolidated School District 59 | $21,924 | 5,822 |
| 145 | River Ridge Community Unit School District 210 | $21,923 | 446 |
| 146 | Marquardt School District 15 | $21,905 | 2,280 |
| 147 | West Chicago Elementary School District 33 | $21,831 | 3,237 |
| 148 | Freeport School District 145 | $21,820 | 3,512 |
| 149 | Newark Community High School District 18 | $21,803 | 175 |
| 150 | Decatur School District 61 | $21,744 | 7,757 |
| 151 | North Chicago School District 187 | $21,737 | 3,382 |
| 152 | Grand Prairie Community Consolidated School District 6 | $21,682 | 88 |
| 153 | Reavis Township High School District 220 | $21,650 | 1,893 |
| 154 | River Forest School District 90 | $21,649 | 1,338 |
| 155 | Winfield School District 34 | $21,605 | 316 |
| 156 | Libertyville School District 70 | $21,588 | 2,105 |
| 157 | Round Lake Community Unit School District 116 | $21,587 | 6,090 |
| 158 | Marengo Community High School District 154 | $21,525 | 666 |
| 159 | Consolidated High School District 230 | $21,471 | 7,580 |
| 159 | Pembroke Consolidated Community School District 259 | $21,471 | 189 |
| 161 | Armstrong Township High School District 225 | $21,444 | 114 |
| 162 | Vienna High School District 133 | $21,403 | 356 |
| 163 | Wood Dale School District 7 | $21,343 | 888 |
| 164 | Milford Area Public Schools District 124 | $21,336 | 477 |
| 165 | Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview School District 89 | $21,304 | 4,096 |
| 166 | Chaney-Monge School District 88 | $21,294 | 401 |
| 167 | Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 | $21,226 | 2,508 |
| 168 | Millburn Community Consolidated School District 24 | $21,184 | 1,093 |
| 169 | Carbondale Community High School District 165 | $21,175 | 947 |
| 170 | Glenview Community Consolidated School District 34 | $21,165 | 4,281 |
| 171 | Bensenville School District 2 | $21,155 | 2,022 |
| 172 | Willow Springs School District 108 | $21,137 | 385 |
| 173 | Hall High School District 502 | $21,105 | 407 |
| 174 | Skokie School District 68 | $21,093 | 1,694 |
| 175 | Champaign Community Unit School District 4 | $21,004 | 10,250 |
| 176 | Community High School District 155 | $20,989 | 5,334 |
| 177 | Urbana School District 116 | $20,933 | 4,342 |
| 178 | Brookwood School District 167 | $20,885 | 988 |
| 179 | Berkeley School District 87 | $20,832 | 2,051 |
| 180 | Hoopeston Area Community Unit School District 11 | $20,820 | 1,076 |
| 181 | Westville Community Unit School District 2 | $20,776 | 1,142 |
| 182 | Seneca Community Consolidated School District 170 | $20,748 | 485 |
| 183 | Prospect Heights School District 23 | $20,659 | 1,461 |
| 184 | Aurora East Unit School District 131 | $20,609 | 12,080 |
| 185 | Rantoul City School District 137 | $20,603 | 1,684 |
| 186 | Cook County School District 130 | $20,561 | 2,887 |
| 187 | Rock Falls Township High School District 301 | $20,522 | 522 |
| 188 | Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21 | $20,520 | 6,156 |
| 189 | Griggsville-Perry Community Unit School District 4 | $20,513 | 333 |
| 190 | Warren Township High School District 121 | $20,503 | 3,523 |
| 191 | Community Unit School District 2 | $20,471 | 595 |
| 192 | Scott-Morgan Consolidated Unit School District 2 | $20,429 | 177 |
| 193 | Oak Grove School District 68 | $20,390 | 910 |
| 194 | Rockdale School District 84 | $20,283 | 240 |
| 195 | Franklin Community Unit School District 1 | $20,262 | 272 |
| 196 | Lincoln Elementary School District 156 | $20,260 | 704 |
| 197 | Community High School District 94 | $20,251 | 2,012 |
| 198 | Signal Hill School District 181 | $20,223 | 280 |
| 199 | Oak Park Elementary School District 97 | $20,214 | 5,540 |
| 200 | Kankakee School District 111 | $20,193 | 4,619 |
