School districts across Menard County held a combined $25.5 million in long-term outstanding debt as of fiscal year 2024, amounting to 51.6% of the area’s total allowable borrowing capacity, according to the Illinois State Board of Education .

Under Illinois law, districts may only borrow up to a certain limit based on their Equalized Assessed Value (EAV)—a standardized measure of taxable property used to determine legal debt caps.

Based on the school district's enrollment of 2,072 students, the countywide debt translates to approximately $12,326 per student as of fiscal year 2024.

The county includes two school districts, of which Porta Community Unit School District 202 held the most debt, totaling $12.9 million.

Porta Community Unit School District 202 ranked 249th statewide among

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