Enrollment
361
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Pontiac, IL
Central Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 173216003362
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elem School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Pontiac · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 361
- students enrolled
Central Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elem School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Pontiac, IL.
School address
District: Pontiac Ccsd 429 · Illinois
NCES ID 173216003362 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elem School
Central Elem School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Pontiac, Illinois, enrolling 361 students.
At 13.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Illinois median, within a few percentage points of the 14:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
With 361 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 40/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Pontiac Ccsd 429 also operates Pontiac Jr High School (326 students) and Lincoln Elementary School (227 students) alongside Central 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 Central Elem School compares
Central 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 1% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 361 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
361
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 55% in Illinois - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,596
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $17,042
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 76.2%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%
Two or More 6.9%
African American 3.3%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: White at 76.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.7, Central Elem School is about as mixed as the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pontiac Ccsd 429, which includes Central Elem School.
$17,596
Per student
+3%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.9%
State 42.8%
Federal 13.4%
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 Central Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pontiac Jr High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Elementary School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Washington Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 326
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 227
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 221
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Illinois, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~361 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Pontiac Ccsd 429'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 Central Elem School
How many students attend Central Elem School?
Central Elem School has 361 students enrolled. It is a public school in Pontiac, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elem School is 13.9:1, which is 1% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elem School is White at 76.2% of enrollment, in Pontiac, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elem School?
Central Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central Elem School rank among public schools in Pontiac?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elem School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Pontiac, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Pontiac on the city page.
Is Central Elem School a good school?
Central Elem School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. 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 Pontiac Ccsd 429?
Besides Central Elem School, Pontiac Ccsd 429 also operates Pontiac Jr High School (326 students), Lincoln Elementary School (227 students), and Washington Elem School (221 students). See the Pontiac Ccsd 429 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.