93 percent of Prairie Knolls teachers stay put; average earns $58,199 per year

The Illinois Schools Report Card finds that 93 percent of teachers stay at Prairie Knolls Middle 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.

Central CUSD 301 full-time faculty members number 280, with a student-teacher ratio of 17-to-1. There are 687 students enrolled at the middle school.

The average salary for teachers within the district is $58,199, ranking it 488th out of 1096 districts in the state for pay. About 86 percent of teachers at the middle school and 86 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.