Enrollment
341
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chicago, IL
Decatur Classical Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Decatur Classical Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 170993000692
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Decatur Classical Elem School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #6 of 102
- elementary schools in Chicago · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.2:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 341
- students enrolled
Decatur Classical Elem School has class sizes larger than 81% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Decatur Classical Elem School ranks #6 of 102 elementary schools in Chicago, IL.
School address
District: City of Chicago Sd 299 · Illinois
NCES ID 170993000692 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Decatur Classical Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Decatur Classical Elem School
Decatur Classical Elem School is a mid-sized elementary school in Chicago, Illinois, enrolling 341 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 341 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Asian (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 341 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
11.1% 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): Decatur Classical Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.2:1 vs 18.5:1).
City of Chicago Sd 299 also operates Lane Technical High School (4,604 students) and Taft High School (4,487 students) alongside Decatur Classical 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 Decatur Classical Elem School compares
Decatur Classical 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 | 16.2:1 | ▲ 16% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 341 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
341
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 81% in Illinois - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
11.1%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 341 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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 44.4%
Asian 28.5%
Hispanic or Latino 13.5%
Two or More 10.0%
African American 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 44.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Decatur Classical Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for City of Chicago Sd 299, which includes Decatur Classical 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 Decatur Classical 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Decatur Classical 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
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 4,487
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 3,099
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,268
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,223
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
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 18.5:1 students per teacher
Eberhart Elem School
Standard public school
1,011 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Kipp One Academy
Standard public school
996 students 10.9:1 students per teacher
Lyon Elem School
Standard public school
988 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Kipp Chicago Chrtrs Bloom Campus
Standard public school
921 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Bell Elem School
Standard public school
902 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~341 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Decatur Classical Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Decatur Classical 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 Decatur Classical Elem School
How many students attend Decatur Classical Elem School?
Decatur Classical Elem School has 341 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chicago, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Decatur Classical Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Decatur Classical Elem School is 16.2:1, which is 16% 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 Decatur Classical Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Decatur Classical Elem School is White at 44.4% of enrollment, in Chicago, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Decatur Classical Elem School?
Decatur Classical Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 Decatur Classical Elem School rank among elementary schools in Chicago?
By Resource Investment Index, Decatur Classical Elem School ranks #6 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 Decatur Classical Elem School a good school?
Decatur Classical Elem School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Decatur Classical 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.
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.