Illinois Valley Times

The only school district in Putnam County suffered a drop in enrollment numbers in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

There were 751 students in the halls of Putnam County Community Unit School District 535 schools, 4.9% lower than the year before.

The enrollment numbers in Putnam County amplified the state's declining trend, showing a sharper decrease in student numbers than the state average.

Of all the students welcomed in the 2023-24 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 83.9% 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 2023-24	Total Enrollment in 2022-23	Total % Change
Putnam County High School	230	246	-6.5%
Putnam County Primary School	201	221	-9%
Putnam County Junior High School	169	160	5.6%
Putnam County Elementary School	151	163	-7.4%