Enrollment
501
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Decatur, IL
Hope Academy
Federal NCES profile for Hope Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 12/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 171185005629
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hope Academy earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Illinois schools.
- #7 of 8
- elementary schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 12
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 501
- students enrolled
Hope Academy has class sizes larger than 96% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hope Academy ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in Decatur, IL.
School address
District: Decatur Sd 61 · Illinois
NCES ID 171185005629 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hope Academy compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hope Academy
Hope Academy is a mid-sized elementary school in Decatur, Illinois, enrolling 501 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.1:1 is larger than about 96% of Illinois schools and 44% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Enrollment of 501 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% 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 (64%) and White (20%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 501 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 85.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 153 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 501 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Decatur's elementary schools, it stands alongside Johns Hill Magnet School (627 students): Hope Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.1:1 vs 16.9:1).
Decatur Sd 61 also operates Macarthur High School (1,059 students) and Eisenhower High School (909 students) alongside Hope Academy.
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 Hope Academy compares
Hope Academy on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.1:1 | ▲ 44% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 501 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
501
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 96% in Illinois - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
85.0%
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
$16,005
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 501 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 153 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 501 Top 30% in Illinois - larger than 70% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 28.0
Students per teacher 20.1:1 +44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 171185005629
Student demographics
African American 63.9%
White 19.6%
Two or More 13.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
Largest group: African American at 63.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.5, Hope Academy is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 501:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 85.0%
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 153
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Decatur Sd 61, which includes Hope Academy.
$16,005
Per student
-6%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.3%
State 43.3%
Federal 21.4%
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 Hope Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macarthur High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Johns Hill Magnet School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montessori Academy for Peace | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dennis Lab School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hope Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,059
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 909
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 586
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
Similar elementary schools in Decatur
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Johns Hill Magnet School
Standard public school
627 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Parsons Elementary School
Standard public school
505 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Franklin Grove Elem School
Standard public school
461 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
American Dreamer Stem Academy
Standard public school
423 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Muffley Elem School
Standard public school
386 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
South Shores Elem School
Standard public school
335 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hope Academy's federal record.
- Compare Hope Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Decatur Sd 61'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 Hope Academy
How many students attend Hope Academy?
Hope Academy has 501 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Decatur, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hope Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Hope Academy is 20.1:1, which is 44% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hope Academy?
The largest demographic group at Hope Academy is African American at 63.9% of enrollment, in Decatur, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hope Academy?
Hope Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 12/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hope Academy rank among elementary schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Hope Academy ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in Decatur, 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 Decatur on the city page.
Is Hope Academy a good school?
Hope Academy earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of 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 Decatur Sd 61?
Besides Hope Academy, Decatur Sd 61 also operates Macarthur High School (1,059 students), Eisenhower High School (909 students), and Johns Hill Magnet School (627 students). See the Decatur Sd 61 district page for the complete list.