Enrollment
65
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fulton, IL
Early Step Pre-School
Federal NCES profile for Early Step Pre-School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 173395004920
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Early Step Pre-School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Illinois schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Illinois.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Fulton · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 32.5:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 65
- students enrolled
Early Step Pre-School has class sizes larger than 99% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Early Step Pre-School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Fulton, IL.
School address
District: River Bend Cusd 2 · Illinois
NCES ID 173395004920 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
32.5:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+132% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Early Step Pre-School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Early Step Pre-School
Early Step Pre-School is a small combined-grade school in Fulton, Illinois, enrolling 65 students.
Class loads run heavy: 32.5:1 is larger than about 99% of Illinois schools and 132% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 98% of Illinois schools, with 65 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 3,845 Illinois schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 12/100).
The surrounding River Bend Cusd 2 spends $12,709 per pupil, 25% below the Illinois average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
River Bend Cusd 2 also operates Fulton Elem School (421 students) and Fulton High School (284 students) alongside Early Step Pre-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 Early Step Pre-School compares
Early Step Pre-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 | 32.5:1 | ▲ 132% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 65 | top 98% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
32.5:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
65
Bigger than 7% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
32.5:1
students per teacher
- 132% above state mean
Top 99% in Illinois - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$12,709
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
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 93.8%
African American 1.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%
Asian 1.5%
Two or More 1.5%
Largest group: White at 93.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.9, Early Step Pre-School is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for River Bend Cusd 2, which includes Early Step Pre-School.
$12,709
Per student
-25%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.8%
State 36.9%
Federal 11.3%
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 Early Step Pre-School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fulton High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| River Bend Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Early Step Pre-School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 421
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 284
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 228
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
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 (~65 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~32.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Early Step Pre-School's federal record.
- Compare Early Step Pre-School against another school. Compare schools
- River Bend Cusd 2'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 Early Step Pre-School
How many students attend Early Step Pre-School?
Early Step Pre-School has 65 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fulton, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Early Step Pre-School?
The student-teacher ratio at Early Step Pre-School is 32.5:1, which is 132% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 107% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Early Step Pre-School?
The largest demographic group at Early Step Pre-School is White at 93.8% of enrollment, in Fulton, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Early Step Pre-School?
Early Step Pre-School has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Early Step Pre-School rank among public schools in Fulton?
By Resource Investment Index, Early Step Pre-School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Fulton, 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 Fulton on the city page.
Is Early Step Pre-School a good school?
Early Step Pre-School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Illinois schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Illinois. 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 River Bend Cusd 2?
Besides Early Step Pre-School, River Bend Cusd 2 also operates Fulton Elem School (421 students), Fulton High School (284 students), and River Bend Middle School (228 students). See the River Bend Cusd 2 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.