Enrollment
494
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Joliet, IL
Grand Prairie Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Grand Prairie Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 173174003337
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Grand Prairie Elem School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #6 of 20
- elementary schools in Joliet · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 494
- students enrolled
Grand Prairie Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Grand Prairie Elem School ranks #6 of 20 elementary schools in Joliet, IL.
School address
District: Plainfield Sd 202 · Illinois
NCES ID 173174003337 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Grand Prairie Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Grand Prairie Elem School
Grand Prairie Elem School is a mid-sized elementary school in Joliet, Illinois, enrolling 494 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Illinois median, within a few percentage points of the 14:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Enrollment of 494 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and White (38%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Joliet's elementary schools, it stands alongside Thomas Jefferson Elem Sch (646 students): Grand Prairie Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.4:1 vs 14.1:1).
Plainfield Sd 202 also operates Plainfield North High School (2,399 students) and Plainfield South High School (2,323 students) alongside Grand Prairie 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 Grand Prairie Elem School compares
Grand Prairie 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 4% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 494 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
494
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 47% in Illinois - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.3%
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
$15,235
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 494 Top 31% in Illinois - larger than 69% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 41.0
Students per teacher 13.4:1 -4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 173174003337
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 42.5%
White 37.7%
African American 12.1%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.9, Grand Prairie Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 26.3%
In-school suspensions 9
Out-of-school suspensions 2
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Plainfield Sd 202, which includes Grand Prairie Elem School.
$15,235
Per student
-11%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.4%
State 43.1%
Federal 6.6%
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 Grand Prairie Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield North High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Plainfield South High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Plainfield East High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Plainfield High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| John F Kennedy Middle Sch | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Grand Prairie Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,399
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 2,323
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,825
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,800
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 912
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Joliet
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Thomas Jefferson Elem Sch
Standard public school
646 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Sator Sanchez Elem School
Standard public school
635 students 14:1 students per teacher
Pershing Elem School
Standard public school
621 students 18:1 students per teacher
Lynne Thigpen Elem School
Standard public school
620 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Farragut Elem School
Standard public school
568 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Jones Elementary School
Standard public school
553 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Grand Prairie Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Grand Prairie Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Plainfield Sd 202'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 Grand Prairie Elem School
How many students attend Grand Prairie Elem School?
Grand Prairie Elem School has 494 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Joliet, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Grand Prairie Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Grand Prairie Elem School is 13.4:1, which is 4% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 15% 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 Grand Prairie Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Grand Prairie Elem School is Hispanic or Latino at 42.5% of enrollment, in Joliet, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Grand Prairie Elem School?
Grand Prairie Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical 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 Grand Prairie Elem School rank among elementary schools in Joliet?
By Resource Investment Index, Grand Prairie Elem School ranks #6 of 20 elementary schools in Joliet, 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 Joliet on the city page.
Is Grand Prairie Elem School a good school?
Grand Prairie Elem School earns 37/100 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 Plainfield Sd 202?
Besides Grand Prairie Elem School, Plainfield Sd 202 also operates Plainfield North High School (2,399 students), Plainfield South High School (2,323 students), and Plainfield East High School (1,825 students). See the Plainfield Sd 202 district page for the complete list.