Enrollment
590
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Buffalo Grove, IL
Joyce Kilmer Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Joyce Kilmer Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 174221004242
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joyce Kilmer Elem School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Buffalo Grove · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 590
- students enrolled
Joyce Kilmer Elem School has class sizes larger than 71% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joyce Kilmer Elem School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Buffalo Grove, IL.
School address
District: Wheeling Ccsd 21 · Illinois
NCES ID 174221004242 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joyce Kilmer Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joyce Kilmer Elem School
Joyce Kilmer Elem School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, enrolling 590 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 590 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (38%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 295 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Wheeling Ccsd 21 spends $23,863 per pupil, 40% above the Illinois average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Buffalo Grove's public schools, it stands alongside Henry W Longfellow Elem School (510 students): Joyce Kilmer Elem School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.1:1 vs 15.3:1).
Wheeling Ccsd 21 also operates Cooper Middle School (732 students) and Jack London Middle School (628 students) alongside Joyce Kilmer 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 Joyce Kilmer Elem School compares
Joyce Kilmer 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 | 15.1:1 | ▲ 8% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 590 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
590
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 71% in Illinois - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.4%
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
$23,863
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 295 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 590 Top 21% in Illinois - larger than 79% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 35.0
Students per teacher 15.1:1 +8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 174221004242
Student demographics
White 44.7%
Hispanic or Latino 37.8%
Asian 8.1%
Two or More 6.3%
African American 3.1%
Largest group: White at 44.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.6, Joyce Kilmer Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 2.0
Students per counselor 295:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 23.4%
In-school suspensions 3
Out-of-school suspensions 2
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wheeling Ccsd 21, which includes Joyce Kilmer Elem School.
$23,863
Per student
+40%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.2%
State 26.2%
Federal 9.6%
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 Joyce Kilmer Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jack London Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oliver W Holmes Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eugene Field Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Booth Tarkington Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joyce Kilmer Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 628
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 540
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar other schools in Buffalo Grove
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joyce Kilmer Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Joyce Kilmer Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Wheeling Ccsd 21'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 Joyce Kilmer Elem School
How many students attend Joyce Kilmer Elem School?
Joyce Kilmer Elem School has 590 students enrolled. It is a public school in Buffalo Grove, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joyce Kilmer Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Joyce Kilmer Elem School is 15.1:1, which is 8% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joyce Kilmer Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Joyce Kilmer Elem School is White at 44.7% of enrollment, in Buffalo Grove, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joyce Kilmer Elem School?
Joyce Kilmer Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Joyce Kilmer Elem School rank among schools in Buffalo Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, Joyce Kilmer Elem School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Buffalo Grove, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Buffalo Grove on the city page.
Is Joyce Kilmer Elem School a good school?
Joyce Kilmer Elem School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Wheeling Ccsd 21?
Besides Joyce Kilmer Elem School, Wheeling Ccsd 21 also operates Cooper Middle School (732 students), Jack London Middle School (628 students), and Oliver W Holmes Middle School (615 students). See the Wheeling Ccsd 21 district page for the complete list.