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Grange hall in Somerset TownshipPhoto: Nyttend · Public domain
C
Schools in Somerset Township · Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186, Elverado Community Unit School District 196

Somerset Township’s public schools score below 68% of Illinois districts on tests and graduation

10% of students in Somerset Township’s public schools are proficient in math, below the Illinois average (26%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Somerset Township, 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.

#569of 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
17%
▼ 13 pts vs IL 30%
2020–21
Math proficiency
10%
▼ 15 pts vs IL 26%
2020–21
Graduate on time
85–89%
▼ 1–3 pts vs IL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$17.3K
▼ 20% vs IL $21.6K
FY2024 · Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186
Students per teacher
12.1
IL 13.6 · smaller classes
Schools in town
3
2,048 students on the public path
In brief

Somerset Township’s schools, in brief

Results trail the state

In spring 2021, 17% of tested students were proficient in reading and 10% in math, against 30% and 26% statewide; nearly all of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

85–89% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois (the state reports Somerset Township’s rate as a range). Districts ↓

Spending and class size

Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 spends $17,286 per student and Elverado Community Unit School District 196 $18,144, 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 Somerset Township’s grade

C− Test scoresC+ Graduation

C: better than 32% of Illinois school districts, #569 of 768 Illinois towns. Both inputs trail the Illinois average; graduation is the closer of the two to typical.

Illinois school districts we grade (887)Better than 32%
Lower resultsHigher results
Illinois towns with similar household incomes (1499)Better than 31%
Towns in Jackson County (16)Better than 69%
C−B−A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,068 test results and a graduating class of 152 could put Somerset Township anywhere from C− to B−. The tests are from spring 2021, when nearly all of Somerset Township’s students in the tested grades sat them (984 in math, 1,151 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Somerset Township, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–22 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressNo scores
3–5Carruthers Elementary SchoolMurphysboro Community Unit School District 186C
6–82 middle schoolsDepends on your addressD to A−
9–12Murphysboro High SchoolMurphysboro Community Unit School District 186C+

Somerset Township runs its own schools through grade 12 (Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186). From grade PK, students attend the Elverado Community Unit School District 196, shared with Dowell, Elk, Elkville, Ora, Vergennes and Vergennes. Its elementary school is in Murphysboro. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Somerset Township

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

Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186Grades PK–12 · 5 schools · 1,877 students, down 1% since 2020–21 · 12.7 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$17,286IL $21,567 · FY2024
C
Elverado Community Unit School District 196Grades PK–12 · 4 schools · 348 students, down 12% since 2020–21 · 10.0 per teacher (IL 13.6)
$18,144IL $21,567 · FY2024
B
Test scores · 2020–21

Well below the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Murphysboro Community Unit School District 18613%
State average 29.9% · 966 students tested
Math · PK–12, Murphysboro Community Unit School District 1869%
State average 25.8% · 809 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Elverado Community Unit School District 19637%
State average 29.9% · 185 students tested
Math · PK–12, Elverado Community Unit School District 19617%
State average 25.8% · 175 students tested

Somerset Township vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Illinois towns that share Somerset Township’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Somerset TownshipCMurphysboro Community Unit School District 186 PK–12 · Elverado Community Unit School District 196 PK–12
Levan—Trico Community Unit School District 176 PK–12 · Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 PK–12
MurphysboroCMurphysboro Community Unit School District 186 PK–12 · Carbondale Community High School District 165 9–12
Vergennes—Elverado Community Unit School District 196
De SotoC+De Soto Consolidated School District 86 PK–8 · Carbondale Community High School District 165 9–12

2 of the 4 neighbors share Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 with Somerset Township for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Somerset Township

7 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).

District schools in Somerset Townshipby address
McElvain School
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Murphysboro
64 studentsRate it →
Carruthers Elementary School
Elementary · Grades 3–5 · Murphysboro
C
426 students15:1Rate it →
Murphysboro High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Murphysboro
C+
565 students12:1Rate it →
Also serving Somerset Townshipin other towns
Elverado Primary School
Elementary · Grades PK–2 · Elkville
102 students13:1Rate it →
Gen John A Logan Attendance Cntr
Elementary · Grades K–2 · Murphysboro
400 students12:1Rate it →
Murphysboro Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Murphysboro
D
422 students12:1Rate it →
Elverado Junior High School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Vergennes
A−
69 students9:1Rate it →

Left off: 3 public programs with fewer than 25 students (TCSE Carruthers Elem, Tcse-McElvain Ec and Tcse-Murphysboro HS).

Questions about Somerset Township’s schools

Are Somerset Township’s schools good?

On Illinois’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools Somerset Township children attend score below 68% of Illinois’s school districts on tests and graduation, a C Schools grade, #569 of 768 Illinois towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 31%. Tests are from 2020–21, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Somerset Township in?

Two districts: Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 runs grades PK–12, and Elverado Community Unit School District 196 runs grades PK–12, shared with Dowell, Elk, Elkville, Ora, Vergennes and Vergennes.

Where do Somerset Township kids go to high school?

Murphysboro High School in Murphysboro, with 565 students; its own test results earn a C+.

What is Somerset Township’s graduation rate?

85–89% of the class of 2023 in Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 graduated in four years, against 88% across Illinois.

How much does Somerset Township spend per student?

$17,286 in Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 and $18,144 in Elverado Community Unit School District 196 (FY2024), against $21,567 across Illinois. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Somerset Township families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Somerset Township → 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.