Enrollment
295
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Freeport, IL
Empire Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Empire Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 171590001900
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Empire Elem School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #5 of 5
- schools in Freeport · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.4:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 295
- students enrolled
Empire Elem School has class sizes larger than 89% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Empire Elem School ranks #5 of 5 schools in Freeport, IL.
School address
District: Freeport Sd 145 · Illinois
NCES ID 171590001900 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Empire Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Empire Elem School
Empire Elem School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Freeport, Illinois, enrolling 295 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.4:1 is larger than about 89% of Illinois schools and 24% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
With 295 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
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 White (45%) and African American (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Freeport's public schools, it stands alongside Blackhawk Elem School (361 students): Empire Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.4:1 vs 14.4:1).
Freeport Sd 145 also operates Freeport High School (1,165 students) and Freeport Middle School (515 students) alongside Empire 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 Empire Elem School compares
Empire 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 | 17.4:1 | ▲ 24% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 295 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
295
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 89% in Illinois - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.1%
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
$19,684
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 + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 45.1%
African American 26.1%
Hispanic or Latino 14.6%
Two or More 13.2%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 45.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.0, Empire Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Freeport Sd 145, which includes Empire Elem School.
$19,684
Per student
+16%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.3%
State 48.2%
Federal 15.5%
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 Empire Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freeport High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Freeport Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Carl Sandburg Middle Sch | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Blackhawk Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jones-Farrar Intl Baccalaureate | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Empire Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 515
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 430
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 350
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Freeport
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Blackhawk Elem School
Standard public school
361 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Jones-Farrar Intl Baccalaureate
Standard public school
350 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Lincoln-Douglas Elementary School
Standard public school
325 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Center Elem School
Standard public school
262 students 15.4:1 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 (~295 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Empire Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Empire Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Freeport Sd 145'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 Empire Elem School
How many students attend Empire Elem School?
Empire Elem School has 295 students enrolled. It is a public school in Freeport, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Empire Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Empire Elem School is 17.4:1, which is 24% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Empire Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Empire Elem School is White at 45.1% of enrollment, in Freeport, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Empire Elem School?
Empire Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower 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 Empire Elem School rank among schools in Freeport?
By Resource Investment Index, Empire Elem School ranks #5 of 5 schools in Freeport, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Freeport on the city page.
Is Empire Elem School a good school?
Empire Elem School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Freeport Sd 145?
Besides Empire Elem School, Freeport Sd 145 also operates Freeport High School (1,165 students), Freeport Middle School (515 students), and Carl Sandburg Middle Sch (430 students). See the Freeport Sd 145 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.