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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:
2044th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,613 Help


Students who attend South Shores Elementary School usually attend:

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

Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  328

Racial breakdown:

African American:
47.9%
White:
32.6%
Two or more races:
15.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  80.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details South Shores Elementary School ranks worse than 98.9% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 9th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Decatur School District 61. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.72. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details South Shores Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Decatur School District 61.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Shores Elementary School is $17,613. 8 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 2044th 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 806th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for South Shores Elementary School?

Rank History for South Shores Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at South Shores Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 25.48 1604th 2020 20.6%
2004 27.05 1626th 2030 19.9%
2005 50.34 1224th 2022 39.5%
2006 32.32 1636th 2086 21.6%
2007 26.40 1732nd 2095 17.3%
2008 25.25 1695th 2092 19.0%
2009 31.48 1617th 2120 23.7%
2010 35.47 1561st 2139 27.0%
2011 17.65 1867th 2147 13.0%
2012 12.77 1985th 2166 8.4%
2013 20.01 1797th 2167 17.1%
2014 15.59 1841st 2093 12.0%
2015 18.72 1744th 2052 15.0%
2016 12.19 1911th 2046 6.6%
2017 12.31 1891st 2044 7.5%
2018 11.52 1930th 2037 5.3%
2019 12.68 1941st 2086 7.0%
2021 15.56 1729th 1948 11.2%
2022 12.74 1965th 2082 5.6%
2023 10.20 2039th 2077 1.8%
2024 9.72 2044th 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 89th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2022 20.95 1063rd 1113 4.5%
2023 17.58 1108th 1156 4.2%
2024 17.98 1118th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.59 1641st 1765 7.0%
2019 18.76 1664th 1816 8.4%
2021 17.81 1453rd 1514 4.0%
2022 17.09 1671st 1763 5.2%
2023 14.37 1756th 1808 2.9%
2024 13.34 1763rd 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.67 1887th 1964 3.9%
2019 13.80 1854th 2019 8.2%
2021 9.91 1663rd 1680 1.0%
2022 14.52 1789th 1970 9.2%
2023 11.63 1883rd 1957 3.8%
2024 10.66 1896th 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 840th 907 7.4%
2024 24.21 752nd 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.85 1758th 1972 10.9%
2019 13.58 1871st 2019 7.3%
2021 11.11 1690th 1707 1.0%
2022 12.43 1900th 1977 3.9%
2023 10.23 1951st 1984 1.7%
2024 9.68 1935th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.90 652nd 698 6.6%
2019 17.07 694th 711 2.4%
2021 25.25 396th 428 7.5%
2022 20.80 676th 684 1.2%
2023 18.95 681st 692 1.6%
2024 21.41 611th 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 SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.97 1437th 1463 1.8%
2019 9.57 1404th 1462 4.0%
2022 7.89 1387th 1425 2.7%
2023 6.58 1391st 1419 2.0%
2024 2.95 1390th 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.

South Shores Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for South Shores Elementary School

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Compare
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

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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Compare
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

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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Compare
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

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

South Shores Elementary School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMeningococcal
201597.7%97.7%97.7%97.7%12.6%97.7%96.7%
201698.6%98.6%98.6%98.6%12.6%98.6%85.6%12.3%
201799.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%8.7%99.7%99.7%8.0%
201899.0%99.0%99.0%99.0%13.9%98.7%99.0%11.8%
201998.3%98.3%98.3%98.3%12.2%98.3%98.3%10.2%
202193.0%92.6%92.6%92.6%97.3%93.3%92.6%
202296.4%96.4%96.4%96.4%96.4%96.4%96.4%7.6%
202396.8%97.1%97.1%97.1%12.1%96.8%96.5%9.2%
202495.6%95.9%95.9%95.9%97.8%95.9%95.9%10.4%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Shores Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,202 (18.2%) $9,912 (81.8%) $12,114
2020 $1,552 (12.6%) $10,795 (87.4%) $12,347
2021 $4,402 (27.2%) $11,789 (72.8%) $16,191
2022 $4,402 (27.2%) $11,789 (72.8%) $16,191
2023 $3,698 (22.4%) $12,844 (77.6%) $16,542
2024 $3,490 (19.8%) $14,123 (80.2%) $17,613

Data source: Illinois Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Shores Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Ranks 1941st of 2086 Elementary schoolsRanks 2039th of 2077 Elementary schools
 5.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Shores Elementary School)9.50
 9.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Decatur School District 61)96.4
 2.6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.428.8
 7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Shores Elementary School)2.40
 2.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Decatur School District 61)7.35
 2.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Illinois)40.633
 7.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Shores Elementary School)9.10
 9.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur School District 61)11.76.6
 5.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.735.4
 1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Shores Elementary School)00
   4th Grade Mathematics (Decatur School District 61)6.22.1
 4.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)33.527.7
 5.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Shores Elementary School)18.22.6
 15.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur School District 61)13.87.3
 6.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)37.935.2
 2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (South Shores Elementary School)9.10
 9.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Decatur School District 61)5.92.1
 3.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.825.6
 4.2%
5th Grade Science (South Shores Elementary School)36.412.8
 23.6%
   5th Grade Science (Decatur School District 61)26.918.2
 8.7%
   5th Grade Science (Illinois)54.452.4
 2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Shores Elementary School)5.712.5
 6.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur School District 61)11.46.7
 4.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Shores Elementary School)2.92.5
 0.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Decatur School District 61)3.72.3
 1.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students279328
 17.6%
African American122157
 28.7%
American Indian02
Asian01
Hispanic1110
 9.1%
Pacific Islander00
White109107
 1.8%
Two or More Races3751
 37.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients75.6%80.5%
 4.9%

Schools Near South Shores Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about South Shores Elementary School

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

Students at South Shores Elementary School are 48% African American, 33% White, 16% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

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

In the 2022-23 school year, 328 students attended South Shores Elementary School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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