- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sterling, IL
Challand Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Challand Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 174231004264
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Challand Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Illinois schools.
- #4 of 6
- public schools in Sterling · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 726
- students enrolled
Challand Middle School has class sizes larger than 80% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Challand Middle School ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Sterling, IL.
School address
District: Sterling Cusd 5 · Illinois
NCES ID 174231004264 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+8 students YoY
Challand Middle School held near 718 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+8 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 45.5 → 45.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+8 students YoY 174231004264 · Sterling, IL Middle · MID · TRAD
726 enr · 16.1:1 · RII 39
Nearest enrollment peer: Sterling High School (999 students)
Challand Middle School held near 718 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+8 headcount). Teacher FTE added 45.5 → 45.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Challand Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Sterling High
Sterling High School
999 students
- This school
Challand Middle School
726 students
- Jefferson Elem
Jefferson Elem School
450 students
- Franklin Elem
Franklin Elem School
407 students
- Washington Ele 394
Washington Elem School
394 students
- Lincoln Elem S 277
Lincoln Elem School
277 students
What this shows Challand Middle School reports 726 students on the CCD universe file.
How Challand Middle School compares
Challand Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▲ 15% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 726 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
726
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 80% in Illinois - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.2%
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
$14,348
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $18,196
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 363 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 54.9%
Hispanic or Latino 36.0%
Two or More 6.2%
African American 1.8%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 54.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.5, Challand Middle School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
District finance for Sterling Cusd 5 reports $14,348 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Challand Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Franklin Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Challand Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 450
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 407
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 394
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 277
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~726 students)
Frequently asked questions about Challand Middle School
How many students attend Challand Middle School?
Challand Middle School has 726 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sterling, IL. CCD year-over-year: 710 (2022-23) → 718 (2023-24), nearly flat (+8).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Challand Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Challand Middle School is 16.1:1, which is 15% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Challand Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Challand Middle School is White at 54.9% of enrollment, in Sterling, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Challand Middle School?
Challand Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Challand Middle School rank among public schools in Sterling?
By Resource Investment Index, Challand Middle School ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Sterling, 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 Sterling on the city page.
What other schools are in Sterling Cusd 5?
Besides Challand Middle School, Sterling Cusd 5 also operates Sterling High School (999 students), Jefferson Elem School (450 students), and Franklin Elem School (407 students). See the Sterling Cusd 5 district page for the complete list.