The conference comprises small public high schools with enrollments between 50 and 400 students in portions of Fulton, Knox, Mason, McDonough, Peoria, Schuyler, and Warren counties.

Formed in 1982, the Prairieland Conference had eight original members which included; Abingdon, Bushnell-Prairie City, Cuba, Elmwood, Farmington, Knoxville, Lewistown and London Mills (Spoon River Valley).

Coops would continue to form as Table Grove (VIT) and Astoria would join forces in 1997 and be known as South Fulton.

Yet another coop would form in 2006 as Cuba and Spoon River Valley would join forces and become known as North Fulton.

[1] In 2013 Abingdon and Avon High Schools consolidated and Bushnell-Prairie City, West Prairie, North Fulton and Peoria Heights had opted to play 8-man football.