2024-25 NCES data Elementary school (grades K-5) NCES 173123005329
Harold B Dawson Middle School — West Peoria, IL
Federal NCES profile for Harold B Dawson Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 21/100.
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harold B Dawson Middle School earns an F Resource Investment Index (21/100), with class sizes larger than 96% of Illinois schools.
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the
NCES CCD record.
Enrollment
331
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20:1
vs 14.6:1 Illinois avg
▼+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Harold B Dawson Middle School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
Larger classes than state median
14.6:1 Illinois median15.7:1 U.S. median
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Harold B Dawson Middle School reports 331 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 18.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 20:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 37% above the Illinois state mean of 14.6:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.7:1, it is 27% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Counselor coverage works out to roughly 331 students per counselor, above the ASCA-recommended ceiling of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 42.3% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Peoria Sd 150 spends $16,851 per pupil district-wide, below the Illinois average of $17,042 and above the national average of $16,593. Revenue comes 41.8% from local sources (property taxes), 40.4% from the state, and 17.7% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (F), calculated from 4 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Illinois state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
Metric
This school
vs Illinois
Illinois avg
U.S. avg
Students per teacher
20:1
▲ 37%
14.6:1
15.7:1
Enrollment
331
top 43%
—
—
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
Class size vs. every US school
Students per teacher (lower means more individual attention)
20smaller classes than 16% of 92,598 US schools
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25
School size vs. every US school
Total enrollment — where this school sits by size (neither large nor small is 'better')
331larger than 37% of 95,891 US schools
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Staffing depth
20:1
students per teacher
— 37% above state mean
Top 96% in Illinois — lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Between 15:1 and 20:1 — in line with the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
42.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$16,851
per pupil, district-wide
— below Illinois avg of $17,042
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 331 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
56
in-school suspensions + 97 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 46.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment331 Top 43% in Illinois — larger than 57% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE)18.0
Students per teacher 20:1 +37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID173123005329
Student demographics
African American
66.8% · ≈221 students
Two or More
13.3% · ≈44 students
White
11.2% · ≈37 students
Hispanic or Latino
7.3% · ≈24 students
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.9% · ≈3 students
Asian
0.3% · ≈1 students
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.3% · ≈1 students
African American66.8%
Two or More13.3%
White11.2%
Hispanic or Latino7.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.9%
Asian0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.3%
Largest group: African American at 66.8% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE)1.0
Students per counselor331:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent42.3%
In-school suspensions56
Out-of-school suspensions97
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Peoria Sd 150, which includes Harold B Dawson Middle School.
$16,851
Per student
-1%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local41.8%
State40.4%
Federal17.7%
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.
Frequently asked questions about Harold B Dawson Middle School
How many students attend Harold B Dawson Middle School?
Harold B Dawson Middle School has 331 students enrolled. It is a elementary school in West Peoria, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harold B Dawson Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Harold B Dawson Middle School is 20:1, which is 37% higher than the Illinois average of 14.6:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harold B Dawson Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Harold B Dawson Middle School is African American at 66.8%. The school serves a diverse student body in West Peoria, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harold B Dawson Middle School?
Harold B Dawson Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (F) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.
Is Harold B Dawson Middle School a good school?
Harold B Dawson Middle School earns an F Resource Investment Index (21/100), with class sizes larger than 96% of Illinois schools. The Resource Investment Index reflects staffing, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance reported to NCES, not test scores or academic outcomes, so treat it as a resource snapshot rather than an overall rating.