Mercer County High School

Q: Is Mercer County High School a good school?

Mercer County High School ranks 302 nd of 697 Illinois high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Mercer County High School is a public high school located in Aledo, Illinois, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 404 students. The school is part of the Mercer County School District 404, which is ranked 564 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Over the years, Mercer County High School has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, ranging from 197 out of 701 Illinois high schools in 2018-2019 (4-star rating) to 302 out of 697 in the most recent school year (2023-2024), with a 3-star rating. Compared to nearby schools, such as Rockridge High School (ranked 183 out of 697) and Sherrard High School (ranked 293 out of 697), Mercer County High School's ranking is generally in the middle range. However, the school has seen a decline in its four-year graduation rate, from 89.6% in 2019-2020 to 80.0% in 2023-2024, and an increase in chronic absenteeism, from 24.1% to 33.0% during the same period.

Academically, Mercer County High School's proficiency rates in SAT Mathematics (17.5%) and SAT English Language Arts (26.8%) are lower than the state averages, but its proficiency rate in ISA Science (63.9%) is higher. Compared to nearby schools, Mercer County High School's academic performance is generally in the middle range, with Rockridge High School outperforming it in both SAT Mathematics and SAT English Language Arts. Additionally, Mercer County High School serves a relatively disadvantaged population, with a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 34.1% to 39.6% in recent years, which is higher than the nearby schools.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1500 S College Ave
Aledo, IL 61231-2513

(309) 582-2223

District: Mercer County School District 404

SchoolDigger Rank:
302^nd of 697 Illinois High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,530

Feeder schools for Mercer County High School:

Elementary:	Apollo Elementary School
	New Boston Elementary School
Middle:	Mercer County Junior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.9

Number of students: 404

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.3%

Hispanic:

3.2%

Two or more races:

3.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Mercer County High School ranks better than 56.7% of high schools in Illinois. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 50.96. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Mercer County High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

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

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mercer County High School is $15,530.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mercer County High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mercer County High School 302^nd of 697 Illinois public high schools. (See Mercer County High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

White students:

Mercer County School District 404:

SchoolDigger ranks Mercer County School District 404 564^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Mercer County High School

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Rank History for all students at Mercer County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2011	48.11	390^th	655	40.5%
2012	55.21	341^st	665	48.7%
2013	65.04	256^th	670	61.8%
2014	55.27	320^th	670	52.2%
2015	63.47	186^th	614	69.7%
2016	59.62	187^th	643	70.9%
2017	59.68	247^th	642	61.5%
2018	68.05	184^th	647	71.6%
2019	64.76	197^th	701	71.9%
2021	40.34	393^rd	688	42.9%
2022	54.07	303^rd	699	56.7%
2023	61.86	231^st	699	67.0%
2024	50.96	302^nd	697	56.7%

See the entire list of Illinois High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Mercer County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2021	29.28	270^th	453	40.4%
2022	31.21	286^th	493	42.0%
2023	27.84	318^th	476	33.2%
2024	38.37	235^th	482	51.2%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mercer County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	81.18	47^th	585	92.0%
2019	57.77	220^th	639	65.6%
2021	64.43	146^th	611	76.1%
2022	73.25	105^th	626	83.2%
2023	70.55	123^rd	644	80.9%
2024	32.75	413^th	639	35.4%

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

Rank History for Female students at Mercer County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	67.97	182^nd	620	70.6%
2019	49.33	334^th	665	49.8%
2021	43.85	336^th	639	47.4%
2022	50.14	322^nd	658	51.1%
2023	59.99	238^th	656	63.7%
2024	47.97	307^th	664	53.8%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Mercer County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	57.78	107^th	429	75.1%

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

Rank History for Military Connected students at Mercer County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	35.08	16^th	26	38.5%
2024	14.52	21^st	23	8.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Mercer County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	65.05	184^th	619	70.3%
2019	73.72	139^th	675	79.4%
2021	32.18	425^th	653	34.9%
2022	54.49	274^th	664	58.7%
2023	61.09	216^th	668	67.7%
2024	51.69	278^th	668	58.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Mercer County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	55.08	208^th	548	62.0%
2019	43.35	269^th	552	51.3%
2021	24.56	424^th	553	23.3%
2022	33.04	379^th	560	32.3%
2023	48.37	256^th	557	54.0%
2024	36.60	316^th	554	43.0%

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 Mercer County High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2010	401	1	4	6	1	n/a	n/a	6	419
2011	366	1	2	3	0	0	6	0	378
2012	371	2	1	5	0	0	5	0	384
2013	377	4	0	4	0	0	7	0	392
2014	374	5	1	7	0	0	6	0	393
2015	388	5	3	6	0	0	6	0	408
2016	374	4	3	8	0	0	6	0	395
2017	363	4	1	7	0	0	11	0	386
2018	367	8	2	7	0	0	12	0	396
2019	342	1	2	9	0	0	14	0	368
2020	355	5	4	6	2	0	6	0	378
2021	368	4	3	9	2	0	4	0	390
2022	370	2	3	12	0	0	6	0	393
2023	373	2	2	13	1	0	13	0	404

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 Mercer County High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	419	34.0	12.3	n/a
2011	378	33.0	11.4	28
2012	384	33.0	11.6	26.8
2013	392	72.8	5.3	34.2
2014	393	29.0	13.5	41.5
2015	408	29.0	14.0	42.4
2016	395	29.0	13.6	40.5
2017	386	27.2	14.1	34.7
2018	396	27.8	14.2	39.6
2019	368	28.1	13.0	34.8
2020	378	26.8	14.0	34.4
2021	390	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	393	28.9	13.5	34.1
2023	404	29.0	13.9	39.6

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 Mercer County High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	419	34.0	12.3	n/a
2011	378	33.0	11.4	28
2012	384	33.0	11.6	26.8
2013	392	72.8	5.3	34.2
2014	393	29.0	13.5	41.5
2015	408	29.0	14.0	42.4
2016	395	29.0	13.6	40.5
2017	386	27.2	14.1	34.7
2018	396	27.8	14.2	39.6
2019	368	28.1	13.0	34.8
2020	378	26.8	14.0	34.4
2021	390	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	393	28.9	13.5	34.1
2023	404	29.0	13.9	39.6

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.

Immunization Rates