Is South Shores Elementary School a good school?

South Shores Elementary School ranks in the bottom 1.1% of Illinois elementary schools.

How many students attend South Shores Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 338 students attended South Shores Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of South Shores Elementary School?

Students at South Shores Elementary School are 49% African American, 31% White, 16% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of South Shores Elementary School attend?

Students who attend South Shores Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Stephen Decatur Middle School High : Eisenhower High School High : MacArthur High School

South Shores Elementary School

Summary:

South Shores Elementary School is a public K-6 school in Decatur, Illinois, part of the Decatur School District 61, which is ranked 806 out of 813 school districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Unfortunately, South Shores Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Illinois elementary schools over the past several years, with a ranking of 2044 out of 2067 schools in the 2023-2024 school year.

The school faces significant challenges, including extremely high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 50.8% to 62.9% in recent years, far exceeding district and state averages. Academically, South Shores performs poorly, with only 6% of students proficient or better in ELA and 0-2.3% proficient in Math across all grades in 2023-2024. The school's performance is consistently in the bottom 10-20% of Illinois elementary schools, struggling across all student subgroups. Despite relatively high per-student spending, ranging from $12,347 to $16,542 in recent years, the school's academic outcomes remain poor.

Interestingly, some nearby schools within the Decatur School District, such as Robertson Charter School and Montessori Academy for Peace, perform significantly better than South Shores Elementary on academic measures, suggesting that better outcomes are possible within the district. The high-poverty student population at South Shores, with 80-90% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, likely contributes to the school's struggles, underscoring the need for comprehensive, evidence-based strategies to address the root causes of its challenges.

Detail:

Public K-6

601 N Church St
Decatur, IL 62522-2107

(217) 362-3321

District: Decatur School District 61

SchoolDigger Rank:
2044^th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,613

Students who attend South Shores Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Stephen Decatur Middle School
High:	Eisenhower High School
	MacArthur High School

Student/teacher ratio: 21.1

Number of students: 338

Racial breakdown:

African American:

48.5%

White:

30.8%

Two or more races:

16.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.4%

See top rated Illinois elementary schools

Compare South Shores Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Shores Elementary School ranks worse than 98.9% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 9^th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Decatur School District 61. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.72. (See more...)

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 Student population at South Shores Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (48.5%), White (30.8%), two or more races (16.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 73.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Shores Elementary School is 21.1. 8 elementary schools in the Decatur School District 61 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare South Shores Elementary School employs 16 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Shores Elementary School is $17,613. 9 elementary schools in the Decatur School District 61 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Shores Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Shores Elementary School 2044^th of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See South Shores Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

African American students:

White students:

Decatur School District 61:

SchoolDigger ranks Decatur School District 61 806^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for South Shores Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at South Shores Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	25.48	1604^th	2020	20.6%
2004	27.05	1626^th	2030	19.9%
2005	50.34	1224^th	2022	39.5%
2006	32.32	1636^th	2086	21.6%
2007	26.40	1732^nd	2095	17.3%
2008	25.25	1695^th	2092	19.0%
2009	31.48	1617^th	2120	23.7%
2010	35.47	1561^st	2139	27.0%
2011	17.65	1867^th	2147	13.0%
2012	12.77	1985^th	2166	8.4%
2013	20.01	1797^th	2167	17.1%
2014	15.59	1841^st	2093	12.0%
2015	18.72	1744^th	2052	15.0%
2016	12.19	1911^th	2046	6.6%
2017	12.31	1891^st	2044	7.5%
2018	11.52	1930^th	2037	5.3%
2019	12.68	1941^st	2086	7.0%
2021	15.56	1729^th	1948	11.2%
2022	12.74	1965^th	2082	5.6%
2023	10.20	2039^th	2077	1.8%
2024	9.72	2044^th	2067	1.1%

See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at South Shores Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	10.82	89^th	93	4.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at South Shores Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2022	20.95	1063^rd	1113	4.5%
2023	17.58	1108^th	1156	4.2%
2024	17.98	1118^th	1195	6.4%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Shores Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	17.59	1641^st	1765	7.0%
2019	18.76	1664^th	1816	8.4%
2021	17.81	1453^rd	1514	4.0%
2022	17.09	1671^st	1763	5.2%
2023	14.37	1756^th	1808	2.9%
2024	13.34	1763^rd	1793	1.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at South Shores Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	10.67	1887^th	1964	3.9%
2019	13.80	1854^th	2019	8.2%
2021	9.91	1663^rd	1680	1.0%
2022	14.52	1789^th	1970	9.2%
2023	11.63	1883^rd	1957	3.8%
2024	10.66	1896^th	1942	2.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at South Shores Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	21.02	840^th	907	7.4%
2024	24.21	752^nd	886	15.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at South Shores Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	15.85	1758^th	1972	10.9%
2019	13.58	1871^st	2019	7.3%
2021	11.11	1690^th	1707	1.0%
2022	12.43	1900^th	1977	3.9%
2023	10.23	1951^st	1984	1.7%
2024	9.68	1935^th	1959	1.2%

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

Rank History for African American students at South Shores Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	20.90	652^nd	698	6.6%
2019	17.07	694^th	711	2.4%
2021	25.25	396^th	428	7.5%
2022	20.80	676^th	684	1.2%
2023	18.95	681^st	692	1.6%
2024	21.41	611^th	655	6.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at South Shores Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	6.97	1437^th	1463	1.8%
2019	9.57	1404^th	1462	4.0%
2022	7.89	1387^th	1425	2.7%
2023	6.58	1391^st	1419	2.0%
2024	2.95	1390^th	1392	0.1%

See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary 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 Shores Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	207	113	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	320
1990	216	95	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	312
1991	228	101	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	331
1992	222	101	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	324
1993	202	106	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	308
1994	209	92	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	301
1995	179	111	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	291
1996	179	111	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	291
1997	146	128	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	274
1998	145	177	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	325
1999	152	155	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	309
2000	125	175	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	300
2001	165	184	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	350
2002	211	132	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	346
2003	211	132	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	346
2004	200	136	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	338
2005	229	127	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	26	387
2006	215	138	3	8	0	n/a	n/a	19	383
2007	206	122	3	10	0	n/a	n/a	24	365
2008	214	121	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	20	364
2009	206	124	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	21	357
2010	187	130	1	5	1	n/a	n/a	25	349
2011	167	141	1	4	0	0	42	0	355
2012	134	144	0	9	2	0	40	0	329
2013	127	120	0	2	1	0	44	0	294
2014	126	108	0	2	1	0	40	0	277
2015	128	132	0	1	0	0	40	0	301
2016	117	126	0	7	0	0	28	0	278
2017	107	136	0	6	0	0	35	0	284
2018	115	135	0	8	0	0	40	0	298
2019	109	122	0	11	0	0	37	0	279
2020	97	145	2	10	0	1	31	0	286
2021	110	151	0	15	0	1	47	0	324
2022	118	161	2	11	1	0	41	0	334
2023	107	157	1	10	2	0	51	0	328
2024	104	164	0	13	2	0	55	0	338

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 Shores Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	320	15.5	20.6	n/a
1990	312	14.5	21.5	n/a
1991	331	13.1	25.2	n/a
1992	324	12.5	25.9	n/a
1993	308	12.6	24.4	n/a
1994	301	14.0	21.5	n/a
1995	291	14.0	20.8	n/a
1996	291	14.0	20.8	n/a
1997	274	14.0	19.6	n/a
1998	325	14.0	23.2	n/a
1999	309	14.2	21.8	n/a
2000	300	16.6	18.1	n/a
2001	350	14.6	24.0	n/a
2002	346	17.0	20.4	56.9
2003	346	17.0	20.4	56.9
2004	338	16.0	21.1	57.1
2005	387	18.6	20.8	71.2
2006	383	18.6	20.6	66.2
2007	365	19.0	19.2	n/a
2008	364	19.0	19.2	73.3
2009	357	18.0	19.8	n/a
2010	349	18.6	18.6	n/a
2011	355	17.6	20.0	76.9
2012	329	n/a	n/a	75.7
2013	294	27.4	10.7	69
2014	277	14.0	19.7	74
2015	301	15.0	20.0	88.7
2016	278	16.0	17.3	78.1
2017	284	15.0	18.9	54.9
2018	298	19.0	15.6	69.1
2019	279	16.0	17.4	75.6
2020	286	18.0	15.8	81.1
2021	324	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	334	17.1	19.5	79.6
2023	328	20.0	16.4	80.5
2024	338	16.0	21.1	73.4

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 Shores Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	320	15.5	20.6	n/a
1990	312	14.5	21.5	n/a
1991	331	13.1	25.2	n/a
1992	324	12.5	25.9	n/a
1993	308	12.6	24.4	n/a
1994	301	14.0	21.5	n/a
1995	291	14.0	20.8	n/a
1996	291	14.0	20.8	n/a
1997	274	14.0	19.6	n/a
1998	325	14.0	23.2	n/a
1999	309	14.2	21.8	n/a
2000	300	16.6	18.1	n/a
2001	350	14.6	24.0	n/a
2002	346	17.0	20.4	56.9
2003	346	17.0	20.4	56.9
2004	338	16.0	21.1	57.1
2005	387	18.6	20.8	71.2
2006	383	18.6	20.6	66.2
2007	365	19.0	19.2	n/a
2008	364	19.0	19.2	73.3
2009	357	18.0	19.8	n/a
2010	349	18.6	18.6	n/a
2011	355	17.6	20.0	76.9
2012	329	n/a	n/a	75.7
2013	294	27.4	10.7	69
2014	277	14.0	19.7	74
2015	301	15.0	20.0	88.7
2016	278	16.0	17.3	78.1
2017	284	15.0	18.9	54.9
2018	298	19.0	15.6	69.1
2019	279	16.0	17.4	75.6
2020	286	18.0	15.8	81.1
2021	324	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	334	17.1	19.5	79.6
2023	328	20.0	16.4	80.5
2024	338	16.0	21.1	73.4

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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