92 percent of Locust teachers stay put; average earns $55,273 per year

The Illinois Schools Report Card finds that 92 percent of teachers stay at Locust Elementary School year to year, according to their 2020 three-year average.

The Illinois State Board of Education records data concerning faculty salary, retention and attendance because maintaining a stable faculty makes for a better environment for teachers and students, furthering student success, according to the report.

Marengo-Union E Cons D 165 full-time faculty members number 70, with a student-teacher ratio of 17-to-1. There are 471 students enrolled at the elementary school.

The average salary for teachers within the district is $55,273, ranking it 578th out of 1096 districts in the state for pay. About 94.3 percent of teachers at the elementary school and 94.3 percent of those in the district were absent 10 days or fewer in 2020, compared to 86.6 percent of teachers in the state.

Salaries vary depending on the school and district, as well as the teacher's level of experience and education, according to the report. The U.S. Department of Education considers teacher attendance a "leading indicator" of how well students perform. When a high rate of teachers are absent more than 10 days, data shows students perform worse.