Galesburg Reporter

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

Of the 6,150 students attending Knox County schools, 69.3% were white. African American students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 10.5% of Knox County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Knox County, representing 70.4% of the student body.

Galesburg High School had the most diverse student body in Knox County, including Asian, African American, Hispanic, 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
Abingdon-Avon High School	White	88.5%	269
Churchill Junior High School	White	56.5%	543
Galesburg High School	White	59.9%	1,158
Hedding Grade School	White	85.6%	382
King Elementary School	White	48.8%	506
Knoxville Junior High School	White	91.9%	247
Knoxville Senior High School	White	92.1%	292
Lombard Middle School	White	56.9%	513
Mable Woolsey Elementary School	White	91.4%	397
ROWVA Elementary School	White	92.3%	376
ROWVA Junior/Senior High School	White	88.6%	229
Silas Willard Elementary School	White	53.8%	433
Steele School	White	47.8%	519
Williamsfield Elementary School	White	92%	112
Williamsfield High School	White	94.8%	97
Williamsfield Middle School	White	97.4%	77

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