McLean County Times

There were 56 Black students enrolled in Livingston County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 5.1% less than the previous year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Data showed that Black students made up 1.1% of the 5,255 students during the 2023-24 school year. They were the least represented ethnicity in the county schools.

Among the 21 schools in Livingston County, Pontiac High School recorded the highest enrollment of Black students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 23 students.

As of the 2023-24 school year, Illinois public schools enrolled approximately 1.85 million students across nearly 4,000 schools. There was roughly one teacher for every 15 students, slightly better than the national average of 1:16.

K-12 enrollment has been declining in Illinois for many years, reflecting the state's demographic changes. Between the 2019–20 and 2022–23 school years, Illinois public school enrollment declined from approximately 1.98 million to 1.85 million students, a decrease of about 127,000 students or 6.4%. This decline is significantly higher than the typical annual decreases of 0.5% to 1.5% observed in the preceding years, reflecting broader demographic shifts within the state.

School name	% of Black students enrolment	Total enrollment
Pontiac High School	3.5%	656
Pontiac Junior High School	4.1%	317
Central Elementary School	2.9%	340
Washington Elementary School	4.7%	212
Cornell Elementary School	0%	102
Lincoln Elementary School	0%	198
Saunemin Elementary School	0%	117
Dwight Common School	0%	540
Dwight High School	0%	201
Woodland Elementary/Junior High School	0%	311
Woodland High School	0%	139
Flanagan Elementary School	0%	240
Flanagan-Cornell High School	0%	108
Tri-Point High School	0%	114
Odell Grade School	0%	158
Prairie Central Elementary School	0%	363
Prairie Central High School	0%	500
Prairie Central Junior High School	0%	231
Prairie Central Primary East School	0%	131
Prairie Central Upper Elementary School	0%	215
Graymont Elementary School	0%	62