- Enrollment
- 876
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waterloo, IL
Gardner Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Gardner Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 174107006144
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gardner Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Illinois schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #1 of 5
- public schools in Waterloo · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 374
- students enrolled
Gardner Elementary School has class sizes larger than 70% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gardner Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Waterloo, IL.
School address
District: Waterloo Cusd 5 · Illinois
NCES ID 174107006144 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-15 students YoY
Gardner Elementary School held near 384 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-15 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 25.1 → 23.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-15 students YoY 174107006144 · Waterloo, IL Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
374 enr · 15:1 · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Waterloo High School (876 students)
Gardner Elementary School held near 384 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-15 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 25.1 → 23.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Gardner Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Waterloo High
Waterloo High School
876 students
- Waterloo Junio
Waterloo Junior High School
613 students
- W J Zahnow Ele
W J Zahnow Elem School
487 students
- Rogers Elem Sc
Rogers Elem School
417 students
- This school
Gardner Elementary School
374 students
What this shows Gardner Elementary School reports 374 students on the CCD universe file.
How Gardner Elementary School compares
Gardner Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15:1 | ▲ 7% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 374 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
374
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 70% in Illinois - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
11.2%
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
$12,591
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $18,196
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.
Student demographics
White 93.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%
Two or More 2.4%
African American 0.8%
Largest group: White at 93.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.2, Gardner Elementary School is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
District finance for Waterloo Cusd 5 reports $12,591 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Gardner Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Waterloo Junior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| W J Zahnow Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rogers Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gardner Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 487
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 417
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar elementary schools in Waterloo
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~374 students)
Frequently asked questions about Gardner Elementary School
How many students attend Gardner Elementary School?
Gardner Elementary School has 374 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waterloo, IL. CCD year-over-year: 399 (2022-23) → 384 (2023-24), nearly flat (-15).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gardner Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gardner Elementary School is 15:1, which is 7% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gardner Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Gardner Elementary School is White at 93.6% of enrollment, in Waterloo, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gardner Elementary School?
Gardner Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Gardner Elementary School rank among public schools in Waterloo?
By Resource Investment Index, Gardner Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Waterloo, 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 Waterloo on the city page.
What other schools are in Waterloo Cusd 5?
Besides Gardner Elementary School, Waterloo Cusd 5 also operates Waterloo High School (876 students), Waterloo Junior High School (613 students), and W J Zahnow Elem School (487 students). See the Waterloo Cusd 5 district page for the complete list.