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Gateway Geyser in East St. LouisPhoto: Paul Sableman · CC BY 2.0
D
Schools in East St. Louis · Belleville Township High School District 201, East St. Louis School District 189

East St. Louis’s public schools score below 89% of Illinois districts on tests and graduation

In East St. Louis, 8% of tested students are proficient in math, below the Illinois average (26%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving East St. Louis, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Illinois, not nationally.

#723of 768 Illinois townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Illinois state tests taken in spring 2021, when nearly all of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
14%
▼ 16 pts vs IL 30%
2020–21
Math proficiency
8%
▼ 18 pts vs IL 26%
2020–21
Graduate on time
92%
▲ 4 pts vs IL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$20.7K
▼ 4% vs IL $21.6K
FY2024 · Belleville Township High School District 201
Students per teacher
14.5
IL 13.6 · larger classes
Schools in town
0
8,888 students on the public path
In brief

East St. Louis’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 144 Illinois towns with household incomes within a quarter of East St. Louis’s, its schools beat 18%, higher than their 11% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Results trail the state

In spring 2021, 14% of tested students were proficient in reading and 8% in math, against 30% and 26% statewide; nearly all of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

92% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois. Districts ↓

Spending and class size

Belleville Township High School District 201 spends $20,728 per student and East St. Louis School District 189 $29,017, against $21,567 across Illinois (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind East St. Louis’s grade

D Test scoresB Graduation

D: better than 11% of Illinois school districts, #723 of 768 Illinois towns. Graduation is above the Illinois average; test scores are below it.

Illinois school districts we grade (887)Better than 11%
Lower resultsHigher results
Illinois towns with similar household incomes (144)Better than 18%
DC−A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 3,119 test results and a graduating class of 1,207 could put East St. Louis anywhere from D to C−. The tests are from spring 2021, when nearly all of East St. Louis’s students in the tested grades sat them (3,000 in math, 3,237 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve East St. Louis, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
K–45 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressD− to D
5–83 middle schoolsDepends on your addressD− to D
9–123 high schoolsDepends on your addressD− to B

East St. Louis runs its own schools through grade 12 (East St. Louis School District 189). From grade 9, students attend the Belleville Township High School District 201, shared with Belleville, Cahokia Heights, Canteen, Caseyville, Caseyville, Centreville, East St. Louis, Fairview Heights, Millstadt, Millstadt, Shiloh, Smithton, St. Clair, Stookey and Swansea. Its elementary school is in E Saint Louis. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve East St. Louis

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Belleville Township High School District 201Grades 9–12 · 2 schools · 4,718 students, down 2% since 2022–23 · 16.4 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$20,728IL $21,567 · FY2024
B
East St. Louis School District 189Grades PK–12 · 10 schools · 4,646 students, down 7% since 2020–21 · 12.9 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$29,017IL $21,567 · FY2024
D−
Test scores · 2020–21

Well below the state in reading

Reading · 9–12, Belleville Township High School District 20125%
State average 29.9% · 1137 students tested
Math · 9–12, Belleville Township High School District 20121%
State average 25.8% · 1117 students tested
Reading · PK–12, East St. Louis School District 1898%
State average 29.9% · 2100 students tested
Math · PK–12, East St. Louis School District 189under 1%
State average 25.8% · 1883 students tested

East St. Louis vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Illinois towns that share East St. Louis’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
East St. LouisDEast St. Louis School District 189 PK–12 · Belleville Township High School District 201 9–12
East St. Louis Township—East St. Louis School District 189 PK–12 · Belleville Township High School District 201 9–12
CentrevilleDCahokia Community Unit School District 187 PK–12 · East St. Louis School District 189 PK–12 · Belleville Township High School District 201 9–12
CanteenC−East St. Louis School District 189 PK–12 · Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 PK–12 · Belleville Township High School District 201 9–12
Cahokia HeightsDCahokia Community Unit School District 187 PK–12 · East St. Louis School District 189 PK–12 · Belleville Township High School District 201 9–12
BellevilleB−Belleville School District 118 PK–8 · Belleville Township High School District 201 9–12
Washington ParkD−East St. Louis School District 189
Fairmont CityC−Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 PK–12 · East St. Louis School District 189 PK–12
Fairview HeightsB−Grant Community Consolidated School District 110 PK–8 · Pontiac-William Holliday School District 105 PK–8 · Belleville Township High School District 201 9–12
Stites—Brooklyn Community Unit School District 188 PK–12 · East St. Louis School District 189 PK–12
Sauget—Cahokia Community Unit School District 187
CaseyvilleC−East St. Louis School District 189 PK–12 · Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 PK–12 · Belleville Township High School District 201 9–12

8 of the 11 neighbors share East St. Louis School District 189 with East St. Louis for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades. St. Louis, MO borders East St. Louis but is graded on its own state’s tests, so it’s left out.

Every school in East St. Louis

10 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Illinois’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

Also serving East St. Louisin other towns
Katie Harper-Wright Elem
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · East Saint Louis
D−
418 students13:1Rate it →
Wyvetter Younge Sch of Excellence
Elementary · Grades K–8 · E Saint Louis
D−
534 students15:1Rate it →
Annette Officer Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–4 · East Saint Louis
D−
362 students14:1Rate it →
James Avant Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Washington Pk
D
342 students10:1Rate it →
Dunbar Elem School
Elementary · Grades K–4 · East Saint Louis
D
327 students12:1Rate it →
Mason/Clark Middle Sch
Middle · Grades 5–8 · East Saint Louis
D
540 students11:1Rate it →
East St Louis-Lincoln Middle Sch
Middle · Grades 5–8 · East Saint Louis
D
359 students8:1Rate it →
Belleville High School-East
High · Grades 9–12 · Belleville
B
2,600 students17:1Rate it →
Belleville High School-West
High · Grades 9–12 · Belleville
B−
2,118 students16:1Rate it →
East St Louis Senior High School
High · Grades 9–12 · East Saint Louis
D−
1,288 students16:1Rate it →

Questions about East St. Louis’s schools

Are East St. Louis’s schools good?

On Illinois’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools East St. Louis children attend score below 89% of Illinois’s school districts on tests and graduation, a D Schools grade, #723 of 768 Illinois towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 18%. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is East St. Louis in?

Two districts: East St. Louis School District 189 runs grades PK–12, and Belleville Township High School District 201 runs grades 9–12, shared with Belleville, Cahokia Heights, Canteen, Caseyville, Caseyville, Centreville, East St. Louis, Fairview Heights, Millstadt, Millstadt, Shiloh, Smithton, St. Clair, Stookey and Swansea.

Where do East St. Louis kids go to high school?

One of 3 high schools, depending on your address: Belleville High School-East, Belleville High School-West and East St Louis Senior High School.

What is East St. Louis’s graduation rate?

92% of the class of 2023 in Belleville Township High School District 201 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois.

How much does East St. Louis spend per student?

$20,728 in Belleville Township High School District 201 and $29,017 in East St. Louis School District 189 (FY2024), against $21,567 across Illinois. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What East St. Louis families are saying about school.

Town Square →
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Looking for colleges? Colleges near East St. Louis → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2020–21, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Illinois. Stars are from neighbors.