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Sunday, May 5, 2024

Ranking school finances: Which districts are the healthiest in Southern Illinois?

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Egyptian Community Unit School District 5, Cairo Unit School District 1 and Joppa-Maple Grove Ud 38 received the best financial ratings by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for their 2017 finances.

ISBE started profiling the financial health of the state's school districts in 2003, using experts to evaluate five areas: fund balance to revenue ratio, expenditure to revenue ratio, days cash on hand, percentage of short-term borrowing ability remaining, and percentage of long-term borrowing ability remaining. The results are combined into a score, which corresponds with one of four designations.

Districts that score between 1 and 2.61 are on "financial watch;" between 2.62 and 3.07 "financial warning;" between 3.08 and 3.53 "financial review;" and between 3.54 and 4.00 "financial recognition."

In all, 640 Illinois school districts achieved "financial recognition." Another 147 were under "financial review," 43 were designated "early warning," and 22 were on the "financial watch" list.

Southern Illinois school districts financial health

Rank
District
County
Score
Designation
1
Egyptian Community Unit School District 5
Alexander
4.0
Recognition
2
Cairo Unit School District 1
Alexander
4.0
Recognition
3
Joppa-Maple Grove Ud 38
Massac
4.0
Recognition
4
Cypress Elementary School District 64
Johnson
3.9
Recognition
5
County of Union School District 43
Union
3.9
Recognition
6
Anna Community School District No. 37 Board of Education
Union
3.9
Recognition
7
Lick Creek Community Consolidated School District 16
Union
3.9
Recognition
8
New Simpson Hill School District 32
Johnson
3.8
Recognition
9
Anna Jonesboro Community High School District 81
Union
3.8
Recognition
10
Century Community Unit School District 100
Pulaski
3.7
Recognition
11
Pope County Community Unit School District 1
Pope
3.65
Recognition
12
Shawnee Community Unit School District 84
Union
3.55
Recognition
13
Cobden School District 17
Union
3.55
Recognition
14
Hardin County Community Unit School District 1
Hardin
3.45
Review
15
Buncombe Consolidated School District 43
Johnson
3.45
Review
16
Goreville Community Unit School District 1
Johnson
3.45
Review
17
Vienna High School District 133
Johnson
3.35
Review
18
Vienna Elementary School District 55
Johnson
3.15
Review
19
Meridian Community Unit School District 101
Pulaski
3.15
Review
20
Massac County Unit School District #1
Massac
3.1
Review
21
Dongola Unit School District 66
Union
3.0
Early

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