Enrollment
328
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Dekalb, IL
Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch
Federal NCES profile for Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 171200003572
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Dekalb · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.4:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 328
- students enrolled
Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch has class sizes larger than 83% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Dekalb, IL.
School address
District: Dekalb Cusd 428 · Illinois
NCES ID 171200003572 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch
Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch is a mid-sized elementary school in Dekalb, Illinois, enrolling 328 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 328 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% 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 African American (56%) and White (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 198 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 328 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 198 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Dekalb's elementary schools, it stands alongside Founders Elementary School (565 students): Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.4:1 vs 14.5:1).
Dekalb Cusd 428 also operates Dekalb High School (2,134 students) and Huntley Middle School (865 students) alongside Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch.
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 Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch compares
Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.4:1 | ▲ 17% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 328 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
328
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 83% in Illinois - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
47.9%
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
99
in-school suspensions + 99 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 30.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 60.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 198 expulsions.
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
African American 55.5%
White 16.2%
Hispanic or Latino 14.6%
Two or More 13.1%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 55.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.7, Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dekalb Cusd 428, which includes Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch.
$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 Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dekalb High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Huntley Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Clinton Rosette Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Founders Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cortland Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,134
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 865
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 565
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 523
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in Dekalb
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~328 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch's federal record.
- Compare Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch 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 Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch
How many students attend Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch?
Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch has 328 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Dekalb, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch is 16.4:1, which is 17% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch?
The largest demographic group at Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch is African American at 55.5% of enrollment, in Dekalb, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch?
Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch rank among elementary schools in Dekalb?
By Resource Investment Index, Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch ranks #3 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 Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch a good school?
Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Dekalb Cusd 428?
Besides Gwendolyn Brooks Elem Sch, 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.
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.