Enrollment
721
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Waukegan, IL
John R Lewis Middle School
Federal NCES profile for John R Lewis Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 174125004138
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John R Lewis Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #2 of 5
- middle schools in Waukegan · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.3:1
- students per teacher
- 721
- students enrolled
John R Lewis Middle School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John R Lewis Middle School ranks #2 of 5 middle schools in Waukegan, IL.
School address
District: Waukegan Cusd 60 · Illinois
NCES ID 174125004138 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.3:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John R Lewis Middle School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at John R Lewis Middle School
John R Lewis Middle School is a large middle school in Waukegan, Illinois, enrolling 721 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 721 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (79%) and African American (14%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 240 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Waukegan's middle schools, it stands alongside Miguel Juarez Middle School (651 students): John R Lewis Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.3:1 vs 14.6:1).
Waukegan Cusd 60 also operates Waukegan High School (4,186 students) and Miguel Juarez Middle School (651 students) alongside John R Lewis Middle 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 John R Lewis Middle School compares
John R Lewis Middle 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 | 12.3:1 | ▼ 12% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 721 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.3:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
721
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 31% in Illinois - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
39.5%
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
$20,269
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $17,042
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 240 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 96 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 721 Top 13% in Illinois - larger than 87% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 63.0
Students per teacher 12.3:1 -12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 174125004138
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 78.9%
African American 14.0%
White 3.6%
Asian 1.2%
Two or More 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 78.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.6, John R Lewis Middle School is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 3.0
Students per counselor 240:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 39.5%
In-school suspensions 3
Out-of-school suspensions 96
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waukegan Cusd 60, which includes John R Lewis Middle School.
$20,269
Per student
+19%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.4%
State 63.4%
Federal 12.2%
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 John R Lewis Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waukegan High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Miguel Juarez Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert E Abbott Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glenwood Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carman-Buckner Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John R Lewis Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,186
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 651
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 585
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar middle schools in Waukegan
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Miguel Juarez Middle School
Standard public school
651 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Robert E Abbott Middle School
Standard public school
585 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Edith M Smith Middle School
Standard public school
493 students 10.7:1 students per teacher
Jack Benny Middle School
Standard public school
475 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John R Lewis Middle School's federal record.
- Compare John R Lewis Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Waukegan Cusd 60'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 John R Lewis Middle School
How many students attend John R Lewis Middle School?
John R Lewis Middle School has 721 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Waukegan, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John R Lewis Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at John R Lewis Middle School is 12.3:1, which is 12% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 22% 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 John R Lewis Middle School?
The largest demographic group at John R Lewis Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 78.9% of enrollment, in Waukegan, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John R Lewis Middle School?
John R Lewis Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 John R Lewis Middle School rank among middle schools in Waukegan?
By Resource Investment Index, John R Lewis Middle School ranks #2 of 5 middle schools in Waukegan, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Waukegan on the city page.
Is John R Lewis Middle School a good school?
John R Lewis Middle School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. 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 Waukegan Cusd 60?
Besides John R Lewis Middle School, Waukegan Cusd 60 also operates Waukegan High School (4,186 students), Miguel Juarez Middle School (651 students), and Robert E Abbott Middle School (585 students). See the Waukegan Cusd 60 district page for the complete list.