Enrollment
653
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Joliet, IL
Dirksen Junior High School
Federal NCES profile for Dirksen Junior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 172058002326
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dirksen Junior High School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% of Illinois schools.
- #5 of 5
- middle schools in Joliet · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.2:1
- small classes for Illinois
- 653
- students enrolled
Dirksen Junior High School has class sizes smaller than 70% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dirksen Junior High School ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Joliet, IL.
School address
District: Joliet Psd 86 · Illinois
NCES ID 172058002326 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dirksen Junior High School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dirksen Junior High School
Dirksen Junior High School is a mid-sized middle school in Joliet, Illinois, enrolling 653 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 653 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 3,845 Illinois schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (65%) and African American (22%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 653 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 162 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 653 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 27 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Joliet's middle schools, it stands alongside Hufford Junior High School (1,072 students): Dirksen Junior High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.2:1 vs 15.8:1).
Joliet Psd 86 also operates Hufford Junior High School (1,072 students) and Washington Jr High & Academy Prgm (724 students) alongside Dirksen Junior High 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 Dirksen Junior High School compares
Dirksen Junior High 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 | 12.2:1 | ▼ 13% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 653 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
653
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 30% in Illinois - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
39.8%
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
$17,920
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 653 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
48
in-school suspensions + 114 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 27 expulsions.
Overview
Enrollment 653 Top 17% in Illinois - larger than 83% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 47.0
Students per teacher 12.2:1 -13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 172058002326
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 65.2%
African American 22.2%
White 8.4%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 65.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.7, Dirksen Junior High School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 653:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 39.8%
In-school suspensions 48
Out-of-school suspensions 114
Expulsions 27
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Joliet Psd 86, which includes Dirksen Junior High School.
$17,920
Per student
+5%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.4%
State 63.0%
Federal 12.5%
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 Dirksen Junior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hufford Junior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington Jr High & Academy Prgm | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sator Sanchez Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pershing Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lynne Thigpen Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dirksen Junior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,072
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 724
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 635
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 620
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar middle schools in Joliet
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Hufford Junior High School
Standard public school
1,072 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Aux Sable Middle Sch
Standard public school
844 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Washington Jr High & Academy Prgm
Standard public school
724 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Gompers Junior High School
Standard public school
615 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dirksen Junior High School's federal record.
- Compare Dirksen Junior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Joliet Psd 86'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 Dirksen Junior High School
How many students attend Dirksen Junior High School?
Dirksen Junior High School has 653 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Joliet, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dirksen Junior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dirksen Junior High School is 12.2:1, which is 13% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 22% 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 Dirksen Junior High School?
The largest demographic group at Dirksen Junior High School is Hispanic or Latino at 65.2% of enrollment, in Joliet, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dirksen Junior High School?
Dirksen Junior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower 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 Dirksen Junior High School rank among middle schools in Joliet?
By Resource Investment Index, Dirksen Junior High School ranks #5 of 5 middle schools in Joliet, 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 Joliet on the city page.
Is Dirksen Junior High School a good school?
Dirksen Junior High School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% of 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 Joliet Psd 86?
Besides Dirksen Junior High School, Joliet Psd 86 also operates Hufford Junior High School (1,072 students), Washington Jr High & Academy Prgm (724 students), and Sator Sanchez Elem School (635 students). See the Joliet Psd 86 district page for the complete list.