Is South Central High School a good school?

South Central High School ranks 342 nd of 697 Illinois high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend South Central High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 195 students attended South Central High School.

What is the racial makeup of South Central High School?

Students at South Central High School are 97% White, 2% African American, 2% Hispanic.

What schools feed into South Central High School?

South Central High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : South Central Elementary-Kinmundy Middle : South Central Middle School

South Central High School

Summary:

South Central High School is a public high school located in Farina, Illinois, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 206 students. The school is part of the South Central CUD 401 district, which is ranked 668 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

South Central High School has seen significant fluctuations in its statewide ranking, ranging from a high of 79 out of 614 Illinois high schools in 2014-2015 (4-star rating) to a low of 542 out of 699 in 2022-2023 (1-star rating). The school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with female students generally performing better than male students. However, the school's performance for White students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds is relatively lower, with rankings in the bottom half of Illinois high schools. While the school maintains a relatively high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 78% to 89.4%, it has experienced a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, from 15.3% in 2019-2020 to 34.3% in 2021-2022.

When compared to nearby high schools, such as Vandalia Community High School and Salem Community High School, South Central High School generally performs worse in terms of statewide rankings, graduation rates, and academic achievement. This may be due in part to the school's relatively high percentage of students from low-income families, with 58.25% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. Addressing these challenges will require a comprehensive approach that considers the school's socioeconomic factors, resource allocation, and strategies to improve student engagement and academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public 9-12

800 W Washington St
Farina, IL 62838-1218

(618) 245-3363

District: South Central CUD 401

SchoolDigger Rank:
342^nd of 697 Illinois High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,951

Feeder schools for South Central High School:

Elementary:	South Central Elementary-Kinmundy
Middle:	South Central Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.7

Number of students: 195

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.9%

African American:

1.5%

Hispanic:

1.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 54.9%

See top rated Illinois high schools

Compare South Central High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Central High School ranks better than 50.9% of high schools in Illinois. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.24. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at South Central High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (96.9%), African American (1.5%), Hispanic (1.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 54.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Central High School is 10.7. (See more...)

Compare South Central High School employs 18.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Central High School is $14,951.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Central High School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Central High School 342^nd of 697 Illinois public high schools. (See South Central High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

South Central CUD 401:

SchoolDigger ranks South Central CUD 401 668^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for South Central High School

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Rank History for all students at South Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	37.79	434^th	586	25.9%
2004	33.26	454^th	592	23.3%
2005	24.60	491^st	590	16.8%
2006	28.58	474^th	596	20.5%
2007	33.22	459^th	612	25.0%
2008	36.49	453^rd	624	27.4%
2009	25.56	507^th	632	19.8%
2010	24.96	510^th	643	20.7%
2011	53.03	348^th	655	46.9%
2012	51.68	371^st	665	44.2%
2013	34.00	482^nd	670	28.1%
2014	49.94	368^th	670	45.1%
2015	80.53	79^th	614	87.1%
2016	57.61	211^th	643	67.2%
2017	30.23	469^th	642	26.9%
2018	32.34	455^th	647	29.7%
2019	27.01	522^nd	701	25.5%
2021	39.88	396^th	688	42.4%
2022	30.83	487^th	699	30.3%
2023	23.68	542^nd	699	22.5%
2024	46.24	342^nd	697	50.9%

See the entire list of Illinois High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at South Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	61.61	93^rd	493	81.1%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	36.59	389^th	585	33.5%
2019	39.72	385^th	639	39.7%
2021	49.58	254^th	611	58.4%
2022	43.69	345^th	626	44.9%
2023	18.97	544^th	644	15.5%
2024	47.92	293^rd	639	54.1%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	29.34	458^th	620	26.1%
2019	19.77	534^th	665	19.7%
2021	26.92	456^th	639	28.6%
2022	44.31	369^th	658	43.9%
2023	23.22	500^th	656	23.8%
2024	56.19	239^th	664	64.0%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	35.51	417^th	619	32.6%
2019	36.29	437^th	675	35.3%
2021	49.05	298^th	653	54.4%
2022	23.70	510^th	664	23.2%
2023	23.58	522^nd	668	21.9%
2024	36.27	399^th	668	40.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at South Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	15.82	492^nd	548	10.2%
2019	11.89	524^th	552	5.1%
2021	25.64	410^th	553	25.9%
2022	16.21	506^th	560	9.6%
2023	11.13	527^th	557	5.4%
2024	31.57	364^th	554	34.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for South Central High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1990	232	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	232
1991	250	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	250
1992	252	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	252
1993	274	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	277
1994	293	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	294
1995	325	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	325
1996	325	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	325
1997	314	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	314
1998	306	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	306
1999	278	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	278
2000	261	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	262
2001	255	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	256
2002	268	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	270
2003	268	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	270
2004	264	1	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	269
2005	253	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	255
2006	244	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	2	248
2007	236	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1	237
2008	242	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	1	243
2009	236	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	237
2010	206	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	207
2011	201	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	201
2012	221	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	223
2013	217	1	1	2	0	0	2	0	223
2014	191	1	1	0	0	1	2	0	196
2015	196	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	199
2016	184	0	1	0	0	0	3	0	188
2017	180	1	1	2	0	0	2	0	186
2018	188	1	2	2	0	0	4	0	197
2019	200	1	0	3	0	0	4	0	208
2020	207	0	0	3	0	0	3	0	213
2021	211	1	0	2	0	0	4	0	218
2022	220	3	0	3	0	0	3	0	229
2023	197	4	0	4	0	0	1	0	206
2024	189	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	195

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Central High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	232	16.0	14.5	n/a
1991	250	17.0	14.7	n/a
1992	252	18.3	13.7	n/a
1993	277	18.0	15.4	n/a
1994	294	18.0	16.3	n/a
1995	325	20.0	16.3	n/a
1996	325	20.0	16.3	n/a
1997	314	18.6	16.9	n/a
1998	306	21.0	14.6	n/a
1999	278	22.0	12.6	n/a
2000	262	22.0	11.9	n/a
2001	256	21.0	12.2	n/a
2002	270	20.0	13.5	34.4
2003	270	20.0	13.5	34.4
2004	269	19.0	14.2	40.9
2005	255	19.0	13.4	41.2
2006	248	20.0	12.4	41.5
2007	237	24.0	9.9	39.4
2008	243	15.0	16.2	43.8
2009	237	18.0	13.2	47.7
2010	207	18.0	11.5	52.2
2011	201	16.0	12.5	48.3
2012	223	15.0	14.8	55.2
2013	223	19.5	11.4	48
2014	196	17.0	11.5	53.1
2015	199	18.0	11.0	57.8
2016	188	18.0	10.4	45.7
2017	186	17.3	10.7	50
2018	197	17.0	11.5	44.7
2019	208	17.0	12.2	47.6
2020	213	17.0	12.5	41.8
2021	218	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	229	16.4	13.8	48.5
2023	206	18.1	11.3	58.3
2024	195	18.1	10.7	54.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio South Central High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	232	16.0	14.5	n/a
1991	250	17.0	14.7	n/a
1992	252	18.3	13.7	n/a
1993	277	18.0	15.4	n/a
1994	294	18.0	16.3	n/a
1995	325	20.0	16.3	n/a
1996	325	20.0	16.3	n/a
1997	314	18.6	16.9	n/a
1998	306	21.0	14.6	n/a
1999	278	22.0	12.6	n/a
2000	262	22.0	11.9	n/a
2001	256	21.0	12.2	n/a
2002	270	20.0	13.5	34.4
2003	270	20.0	13.5	34.4
2004	269	19.0	14.2	40.9
2005	255	19.0	13.4	41.2
2006	248	20.0	12.4	41.5
2007	237	24.0	9.9	39.4
2008	243	15.0	16.2	43.8
2009	237	18.0	13.2	47.7
2010	207	18.0	11.5	52.2
2011	201	16.0	12.5	48.3
2012	223	15.0	14.8	55.2
2013	223	19.5	11.4	48
2014	196	17.0	11.5	53.1
2015	199	18.0	11.0	57.8
2016	188	18.0	10.4	45.7
2017	186	17.3	10.7	50
2018	197	17.0	11.5	44.7
2019	208	17.0	12.2	47.6
2020	213	17.0	12.5	41.8
2021	218	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	229	16.4	13.8	48.5
2023	206	18.1	11.3	58.3
2024	195	18.1	10.7	54.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

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