Enrollment
1,991
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · New Lenox, IL
Lincoln-Way Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Lincoln-Way Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 172307002543
👥 S:T ratio 42
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lincoln-Way Central High School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also one of the largest schools in Illinois.
- #10 of 14
- public schools in New Lenox · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.5:1
- students per teacher
- 1,991
- students enrolled
Lincoln-Way Central High School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lincoln-Way Central High School ranks #10 of 14 public schools in New Lenox, IL.
School address
District: Lincoln Way Chsd 210 · Illinois
NCES ID 172307002543 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
135.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lincoln-Way Central High School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lincoln-Way Central High School
Lincoln-Way Central High School is a large high school in New Lenox, Illinois, enrolling 1,991 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Illinois, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,991 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 22 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 332 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
14.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among New Lenox's high schools, it stands alongside Lincoln Way West (2,047 students): Lincoln-Way Central High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.5:1 vs 19.5:1).
Lincoln Way Chsd 210 also operates Lincoln-Way East High School (2,696 students) and Lincoln Way West (2,047 students) alongside Lincoln-Way Central High 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 Lincoln-Way Central High School compares
Lincoln-Way Central High 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 | 14.5:1 | ▲ 4% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 1,991 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,991
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 63% in Illinois - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$16,630
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 332 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
71
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 1,991 Top 2% in Illinois - larger than 98% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 135.0
Students per teacher 14.5:1 +4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 172307002543
Student demographics
White 80.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.1%
Two or More 3.3%
African American 2.6%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 80.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.3, Lincoln-Way Central High School is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
AP courses offered 22
Counselors (FTE) 6.0
Students per counselor 332:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 14.5%
In-school suspensions 71
Out-of-school suspensions 18
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lincoln Way Chsd 210, which includes Lincoln-Way Central High School.
$16,630
Per student
-2%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 75.4%
State 22.6%
Federal 2.0%
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 Lincoln-Way Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln-Way East High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Way West | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lincoln-Way Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,696
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,047
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in New Lenox
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lincoln-Way Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Lincoln-Way Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- Lincoln Way Chsd 210'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 Lincoln-Way Central High School
How many students attend Lincoln-Way Central High School?
Lincoln-Way Central High School has 1,991 students enrolled. It is a high school in New Lenox, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lincoln-Way Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lincoln-Way Central High School is 14.5:1, which is 4% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lincoln-Way Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Lincoln-Way Central High School is White at 80.0% of enrollment, in New Lenox, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lincoln-Way Central High School?
Lincoln-Way Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lincoln-Way Central High School rank among public schools in New Lenox?
By Resource Investment Index, Lincoln-Way Central High School ranks #10 of 14 public schools in New Lenox, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in New Lenox on the city page.
Is Lincoln-Way Central High School a good school?
Lincoln-Way Central High School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also one of the largest schools in Illinois. 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 Lincoln Way Chsd 210?
Besides Lincoln-Way Central High School, Lincoln Way Chsd 210 also operates Lincoln-Way East High School (2,696 students) and Lincoln Way West (2,047 students). See the Lincoln Way Chsd 210 district page for the complete list.