Enrollment
725
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Tinley Park, IL
Central Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Central Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 173903003959
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Middle School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Tinley Park · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.1:1
- small classes for Illinois
- 725
- students enrolled
Central Middle School has class sizes smaller than 72% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Tinley Park, IL.
School address
NCES ID 173903003959 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
61.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Middle School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Middle School
Central Middle School is a large middle school in Tinley Park, Illinois, enrolling 725 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 725 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
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 (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Ccsd 146 spends $20,877 per pupil, 23% above the Illinois average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Tinley Park's middle schools, it stands alongside Virgil I Grissom Middle School (627 students): Central Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.1:1 vs 10.6:1).
Ccsd 146 also operates Arnold W Kruse Ed Center (462 students) and Walter F Fierke Ed Center (443 students) alongside Central Middle 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 Middle School compares
Central Middle 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 | 12.1:1 | ▼ 14% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 725 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 77% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
725
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 28% in Illinois - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
27.6%
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
$20,877
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 725 Top 13% in Illinois - larger than 87% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 61.0
Students per teacher 12.1:1 -14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 173903003959
Student demographics
White 56.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.7%
Two or More 11.2%
African American 10.2%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 56.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.7, Central Middle School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 27.6%
In-school suspensions 19
Out-of-school suspensions 26
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ccsd 146, which includes Central Middle School.
$20,877
Per student
+23%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.9%
State 27.0%
Federal 8.1%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold W Kruse Ed Center | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walter F Fierke Ed Center | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bert H Fulton School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Memorial Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 462
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 443
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 404
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 291
- Students per teacher
- 10.2:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar middle schools in Tinley Park
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Central Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Ccsd 146'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 Middle School
How many students attend Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has 725 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Tinley Park, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School is 12.1:1, which is 14% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 23% 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 Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Central Middle School is White at 56.3% of enrollment, in Tinley Park, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Tinley Park?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Tinley Park, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Tinley Park on the city page.
Is Central Middle School a good school?
Central Middle School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% 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 Ccsd 146?
Besides Central Middle School, Ccsd 146 also operates Arnold W Kruse Ed Center (462 students), Walter F Fierke Ed Center (443 students), and Bert H Fulton School (404 students). See the Ccsd 146 district page for the complete list.