Johns Hill Magnet School, Decatur IL

Original Research by School Decision on Johns Hill Magnet School

Johns Hill Magnet School serves kindergarten through eighth grade in Decatur, a mid-sized central Illinois city known for grain and commodity processing. The school is part of Decatur School District 61 and sits as a regular public school with no charter status.

The school enrolls a diverse student population, with students reflecting a range of backgrounds. Black students make up a substantial share of the enrollment, followed by Hispanic students, white students, and students identifying as two or more races. The school's total enrollment is distributed across its grade band, with relatively even cohorts at each level.

Academically, the school's recent state testing results point to significant challenges in student proficiency. On the most recent Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) in English language arts and mathematics, proficiency rates across all tested grades fall well below typical state and district benchmarks. In mathematics, proficiency rates are low across all grades, ranging from just a few students meeting the standard at grade eight to somewhat larger shares in the middle grades. English language arts shows slightly higher proficiency, with grade six and seven performing somewhat better than other grades, though still at low levels. Science testing at grade five and eight shows proficiency rates in a similar range. When Johns Hill's overall proficiency is compared to the other schools and districts in Macon County, the school sits in the bottom quartile on that measure. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly to understand what supports are in place, what the school's own assessment data shows about learning trajectories, and what changes or initiatives are underway.

The school sits in Decatur's residential fabric rather than in the downtown civic core. The city itself is experiencing modest population decline but has pursued downtown revitalization efforts through a "Limitless Decatur" branding initiative and a 2023–2025 strategic plan focused on redevelopment. Lake Decatur, parks, the Scovill Zoo, and downtown amenities including Central Park and the historic district anchor community life. Housing values in the Decatur area are modest relative to state and national benchmarks, and monthly mortgage costs and rental costs are comparatively affordable.

The district itself is undertaking major structural changes. Beginning in 2024, all students are required to store phones, ear buds, smart watches, and tablets in locked lockers for the entire school day—a bell-to-bell device ban with no exceptions. This is a significant and visible shift in the daily classroom environment. Separately, the district launched a comprehensive strategic planning and master facilities plan called Roadmap2030 in October 2024, with a final recommendation to the school board in May 2025. That initiative will determine which buildings remain in use, how programs are organized, and long-term capital investments. These are ongoing district-level processes that will shape the school's future.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 11% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 418%

School 18% · District 9% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 58%

School 8% · District 6% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 613%

School 13% · District 5% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 719%

School 19% · District 8% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 83%

School 3% · District 4% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 320%

School 20% · District 13% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 419%

School 19% · District 18% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 517%

School 17% · District 17%

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 624%

School 24% · District 18% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 724%

School 24% · District 15% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 19% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Science

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 15% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 21% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

This schoolDecatur SD 61, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.