Mercer County School District 404

203 N Washington St
Joy, IL 61260-7788
(District boundaries shown in map)
4/
10
Bottom 50%
For the 2026 school year, there are 5 public schools serving 1,274 students in Mercer County School District 404. This district's average testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public schools in Illinois.
Public Schools in Mercer County School District 404 have an average math proficiency score of 13% (versus the Illinois public school average of 27%), and reading proficiency score of 27% (versus the 30% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 9% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is less than the Illinois public school average of 55% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (IL)
# Schools
5 Schools
4,394 Schools
# Students
1,274 Students
1,842,872 Students
# Teachers
109 Teachers
137,935 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Mercer County School District 404, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 861 school districts in Illinois (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 82% has decreased from 85-89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (IL)
#597 out of 865 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
13%
27%
27%
30%
53%
50%
82%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.17
0.69
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
6%
% Hispanic
2%
29%
% Black
2%
16%
% White
91%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
4%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $17,167 in this school district is less than the state median of $22,455. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,137 is less than the state median of $21,692. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
This School District
This State (IL)
Total Revenue
$22 MM
$41,381 MM
Spending
$21 MM
$39,976 MM
Revenue / Student
$17,167
$22,455
Spending / Student
$16,137
$21,692

Best Mercer County School District 404 Public Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Mercer County Jr High School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1002 Sw 6th St
Aledo, IL 61231
(309) 584-4174
Gr: 6-8 | 270 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 12%
Rank: #22.
Mercer County High School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1500 S College Ave
Aledo, IL 61231
(309) 582-2223
Gr: 9-12 | 411 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 7%
Rank: #33.
New Boston Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-29%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
301 Jefferson St
New Boston, IL 61272
(309) 587-8141
Gr: K-5 | 165 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 4%
Rank: #44.
Apollo Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
801 Sw 9th St
Aledo, IL 61231
(309) 582-5350
Gr: K-5 | 362 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Rank: n/an/a
Mercer County Elc
203 N Washington St
Joy, IL 61260
(309) 584-5001
Gr: PK | 66 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 9%

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Mercer County School District 404?
Mercer County School District 404 manages 5 public schools serving 1,274 students.
What is the rank of Mercer County School District 404?
Mercer County School District 404 is ranked #616 out of 861 school districts in Illinois (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year.
What is the racial composition of students in Mercer County School District 404?
91% of Mercer County School District 404 students are White, 4% of students are Two or more races, 2% of students are Hispanic, 2% of students are Black, and 1% of students are Asian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Mercer County School District 404?
Mercer County School District 404 has a student/teacher ratio of 12:1, which is lower than the Illinois state average of 14:1.
What is Mercer County School District 404's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $16,137 is less than the state median of $21,692. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 5 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 1,274 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 9%
  • : 82% (Top 50% in IL)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 13% (Btm 50%)
  • : 27% (Btm 50%)
  • : 53% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

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