Enrollment
300
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Downers Grove, IL
El Sierra Elem School
Federal NCES profile for El Sierra Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 64/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 171254001506
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
El Sierra Elem School earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #3 of 11
- schools in Downers Grove · Resource Index
- 64
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.5:1
- students per teacher
- 300
- students enrolled
El Sierra Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, El Sierra Elem School ranks #3 of 11 schools in Downers Grove, IL.
School address
District: Downers Grove Gsd 58 · Illinois
NCES ID 171254001506 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.5:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How El Sierra Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at El Sierra Elem School
El Sierra Elem School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Downers Grove, Illinois, enrolling 300 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 300 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 3,845 Illinois schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 57/100).
11.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Downers Grove's public schools, it stands alongside Lester Elem School (531 students): El Sierra Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.5:1 vs 18.3:1).
Downers Grove Gsd 58 also operates Herrick Middle School (626 students) and Lester Elem School (531 students) alongside El Sierra 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 El Sierra Elem School compares
El Sierra 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 | 12.5:1 | ▼ 11% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 300 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.5:1
Leaner classes than 71% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
300
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
12.5:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 35% in Illinois - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
11.3%
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
$18,577
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 61.3%
Hispanic or Latino 21.3%
African American 6.7%
Asian 6.0%
Two or More 4.7%
Largest group: White at 61.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.9, El Sierra 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 Downers Grove Gsd 58, which includes El Sierra Elem School.
$18,577
Per student
+9%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 69.0%
State 26.6%
Federal 4.4%
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 El Sierra Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrick Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lester Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| O Neill Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hillcrest Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kingsley Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to El Sierra Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 626
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 531
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 63/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 382
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 359
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 70/100
Similar other schools in Downers Grove
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Lester Elem School
Standard public school
531 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Hillcrest Elem School
Standard public school
382 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Kingsley Elem School
Standard public school
359 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Highland Elem School
Standard public school
352 students 16:1 students per teacher
Fairmount Elem School
Standard public school
342 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Pierce Downer Elem School
Standard public school
337 students 16:1 students per teacher
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 (~300 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on El Sierra Elem School's federal record.
- Compare El Sierra Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Downers Grove Gsd 58'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 El Sierra Elem School
How many students attend El Sierra Elem School?
El Sierra Elem School has 300 students enrolled. It is a public school in Downers Grove, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at El Sierra Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at El Sierra Elem School is 12.5:1, which is 11% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 20% 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 El Sierra Elem School?
The largest demographic group at El Sierra Elem School is White at 61.3% of enrollment, in Downers Grove, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for El Sierra Elem School?
El Sierra Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 64/100 (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 El Sierra Elem School rank among schools in Downers Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, El Sierra Elem School ranks #3 of 11 schools in Downers Grove, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Downers Grove on the city page.
Is El Sierra Elem School a good school?
El Sierra Elem School earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. 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 Downers Grove Gsd 58?
Besides El Sierra Elem School, Downers Grove Gsd 58 also operates Herrick Middle School (626 students), Lester Elem School (531 students), and O Neill Middle School (403 students). See the Downers Grove Gsd 58 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.