Enrollment
902
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chicago, IL
Bell Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Bell Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 170993000605
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bell Elem School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #9 of 102
- elementary schools in Chicago · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.3:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 902
- students enrolled
Bell Elem School has class sizes larger than 74% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bell Elem School ranks #9 of 102 elementary schools in Chicago, IL.
School address
District: City of Chicago Sd 299 · Illinois
NCES ID 170993000605 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bell Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bell Elem School
Bell Elem School is a large elementary school in Chicago, Illinois, enrolling 902 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Illinois, bigger than 92% of state schools at 902 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 451 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding City of Chicago Sd 299 spends $21,050 per pupil, 24% above the Illinois average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Chicago's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mount Greenwood Elem School (1,182 students): Bell Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.3:1 vs 18.3:1).
City of Chicago Sd 299 also operates Lane Technical High School (4,604 students) and Taft High School (4,487 students) alongside Bell Elem School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bell Elem School compares
Bell Elem School on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.3:1 | ▲ 9% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 902 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
902
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 74% in Illinois - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
11.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$21,050
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $17,042
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 451 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 902 Top 8% in Illinois - larger than 92% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 58.0
Students per teacher 15.3:1 +9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 170993000605
Student demographics
White 56.0%
Hispanic or Latino 17.0%
Two or More 13.0%
Asian 11.5%
African American 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 56.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.7, Bell Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 2.0
Students per counselor 451:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 11.9%
In-school suspensions 1
Out-of-school suspensions 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for City of Chicago Sd 299, which includes Bell Elem School.
$21,050
Per student
+24%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.8%
State 29.9%
Federal 17.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bell Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lane Technical High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Taft High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Curie Metropolitan High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kenwood Academy High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Young Magnet High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bell Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,604
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 4,487
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 3,099
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,268
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,223
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar elementary schools in Chicago
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mount Greenwood Elem School
Standard public school
1,182 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Eberhart Elem School
Standard public school
1,011 students 15:1 students per teacher
Kipp One Academy
Standard public school
996 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Lyon Elem School
Standard public school
988 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Kipp Chicago Chrtrs Bloom Campus
Standard public school
921 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Kipp Chicago Chrtrs - Ascend Acad
Standard public school
897 students 8.5:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bell Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Bell Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- City of Chicago Sd 299's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bell Elem School
How many students attend Bell Elem School?
Bell Elem School has 902 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chicago, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bell Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bell Elem School is 15.3:1, which is 9% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bell Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Bell Elem School is White at 56.0% of enrollment, in Chicago, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bell Elem School?
Bell Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bell Elem School rank among elementary schools in Chicago?
By Resource Investment Index, Bell Elem School ranks #9 of 102 elementary schools in Chicago, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Chicago on the city page.
Is Bell Elem School a good school?
Bell Elem School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in City of Chicago Sd 299?
Besides Bell Elem School, City of Chicago Sd 299 also operates Lane Technical High School (4,604 students), Taft High School (4,487 students), and Curie Metropolitan High School (3,099 students). See the City of Chicago Sd 299 district page for the complete list.