Southern Illinois News

White students were the largest ethnic group in Union County in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Of the 2,373 students attending Union County schools, 86.6% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 8.1% of Union County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Union County, representing 87.4% of the student body.

Anna-Jonesboro High School had the most diverse student body in Union County, including African American, Hispanic, multiracial, and white.

The Illinois State Board of Education’s budget for fiscal year 2026 will increase from nearly $10.8 billion to about $11.2 billion. This includes a $307 million boost for K–12 schools, marking the smallest annual increase since 2020.

The agency has paused about $50 million in funding previously allocated through the Evidence-Based Funding formula for the Property Tax Relief Grant while reviewing its impact on local tax relief. Officials say the pause could affect the timing and amount of property tax relief available to taxpayers.

School name	Most prevalent ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Anna Junior High School	White	87.3%	244
Anna-Jonesboro High School	White	86.7%	457
Cobden Elementary School	White	75.6%	217
Cobden High School	White	56.3%	135
Cobden Junior High School	White	74.7%	87
Davie Elementary School	White	83.5%	121
Dongola Elementary School	White	93.7%	126
Dongola High School	White	90.9%	22
Dongola Junior High School	White	97.7%	43
Jonesboro Elementary School	White	93.9%	311
Lick Creek Elementary School	White	93%	128
Lincoln Elementary School	White	93.1%	204
Shawnee Elementary School	White	95.5%	133
Shawnee High School	White	91.5%	71
Shawnee Junior High School	White	90.5%	74

Information in this story was obtained from the Illinois State Board of Education. The source data can be found here.