Illinois Valley Times

The only school district in Putnam County had a rise in enrollment numbers in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

There were 790 students in the halls of Putnam County Community Unit School District 535 schools, 1.4% higher than the year before.

The enrollment numbers in Putnam County bucked the state’s trend, which shows an overall decrease in enrollment across the state.

Of all the students welcomed in the 2022-23 school year, 52.5% of them were boys, and 47.5% were girls.

Data also showed that the majority of students identified themselves as white, making up 83.2% of the Putnam County Community Unit School District 535's total enrollment.

Putnam County Community Unit School District 535 has a main office in Granville and is the only school district within Putnam County.

Illinois has approved a new budget for 2025 that increases funds for K-12 education to $8.6 billion, $350 million above 2024.

Lawmakers also approved a new bill that creates a statewide child tax credit, which allows families to receive $300 per child under 17 years. This comes after a similar aid was granted from the federal government, as part of the American Rescue Plan.

School	Total Enrollment in 2022-23	Total Enrollment in 2021-22	Total % Change
Putnam County High School	246	263	-6.5%
Putnam County Primary School	221	213	3.8%
Putnam County Elementary School	163	155	5.2%
Putnam County Junior High School	160	148	8.1%