Enrollment
565
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Dekalb, IL
Founders Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Founders Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 171200006172
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Founders Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Dekalb · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 565
- students enrolled
Founders Elementary School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Founders Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Dekalb, IL.
School address
District: Dekalb Cusd 428 · Illinois
NCES ID 171200006172 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Founders Elementary School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Founders Elementary School
Founders Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Dekalb, Illinois, enrolling 565 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 565 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and African American (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 239 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 565 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 236 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Dekalb's elementary schools, it stands alongside Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch (328 students): Founders Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 17.1:1).
Dekalb Cusd 428 also operates Dekalb High School (2,134 students) and Huntley Middle School (865 students) alongside Founders Elementary 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 Founders Elementary School compares
Founders Elementary 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 | 14.3:1 | ▲ 2% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 565 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
565
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 61% in Illinois - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$16,840
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
120
in-school suspensions + 119 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 21.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 42.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 236 expulsions.
Overview
Enrollment 565 Top 24% in Illinois - larger than 76% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 39.0
Students per teacher 14.3:1 +2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 171200006172
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 43.9%
African American 29.6%
White 18.2%
Two or More 7.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, Founders Elementary School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 32.6%
In-school suspensions 120
Out-of-school suspensions 119
Expulsions 236
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dekalb Cusd 428, which includes Founders Elementary School.
$16,840
Per student
-1%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.5%
State 46.9%
Federal 11.6%
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 Founders Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dekalb High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Huntley Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clinton Rosette Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cortland Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Littlejohn Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Founders Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,134
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 865
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 523
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 362
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar elementary schools in Dekalb
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Founders Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Founders Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Dekalb Cusd 428'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 Founders Elementary School
How many students attend Founders Elementary School?
Founders Elementary School has 565 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Dekalb, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Founders Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Founders Elementary School is 14.3:1, which is 2% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 9% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Founders Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Founders Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 43.9% of enrollment, in Dekalb, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Founders Elementary School?
Founders Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Founders Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Dekalb?
By Resource Investment Index, Founders Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Dekalb, 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 Dekalb on the city page.
Is Founders Elementary School a good school?
Founders Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. 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 Dekalb Cusd 428?
Besides Founders Elementary School, Dekalb Cusd 428 also operates Dekalb High School (2,134 students), Huntley Middle School (865 students), and Clinton Rosette Middle School (575 students). See the Dekalb Cusd 428 district page for the complete list.