Peoria Standard

White students were the largest ethnic group in Mason County in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Of the 1,769 students attending Mason County schools, 94.2% were white. multiracial students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 1.5% of Mason County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Mason County, representing 94.5% of the student body.

Midwest Central Primary School and New Central Elementary School had the most diverse student body in Mason County, including multiracial and white.

The Illinois State Board of Education’s budget for fiscal year 2026 will increase from nearly $10.8 billion to about $11.2 billion. This includes a $307 million boost for K–12 schools, marking the smallest annual increase since 2020.

The agency has paused about $50 million in funding previously allocated through the Evidence-Based Funding formula for the Property Tax Relief Grant while reviewing its impact on local tax relief. Officials say the pause could affect the timing and amount of property tax relief available to taxpayers.

School name	Most prevalent ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Havana High School	White	93.7%	252
Illini Central Grade School	White	94.4%	252
Illini Central High School	White	92.5%	186
Illini Central Middle School	White	98%	150
Midwest Central High School	White	94.2%	240
Midwest Central Primary School	White	95.4%	416
New Central Elementary School	White	91.9%	273

Information in this story was obtained from the Illinois State Board of Education. The source data can be found here.