Enrollment
484
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Joliet, IL
M J Cunningham Elem Sch
Federal NCES profile for M J Cunningham Elem Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 172058002325
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
M J Cunningham Elem Sch earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Illinois schools.
- #12 of 20
- elementary schools in Joliet · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.6:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 484
- students enrolled
M J Cunningham Elem Sch has class sizes larger than 76% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, M J Cunningham Elem Sch ranks #12 of 20 elementary schools in Joliet, IL.
School address
District: Joliet Psd 86 · Illinois
NCES ID 172058002325 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How M J Cunningham Elem Sch compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at M J Cunningham Elem Sch
M J Cunningham Elem Sch is a mid-sized elementary school in Joliet, Illinois, enrolling 484 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 484 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 predominantly Hispanic or Latino (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Joliet's elementary schools, it stands alongside Thomas Jefferson Elem Sch (646 students): M J Cunningham Elem Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.6:1 vs 15.8:1).
Joliet Psd 86 also operates Hufford Junior High School (1,072 students) and Washington Jr High & Academy Prgm (724 students) alongside M J Cunningham Elem Sch.
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 M J Cunningham Elem Sch compares
M J Cunningham Elem Sch on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.6:1 | ▲ 11% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 484 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
484
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 76% in Illinois - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
36.6%
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
$17,920
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $17,042
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 84.7%
African American 6.0%
White 5.2%
Two or More 3.9%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 84.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.5, M J Cunningham Elem Sch is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Joliet Psd 86, which includes M J Cunningham Elem Sch.
$17,920
Per student
+5%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.4%
State 63.0%
Federal 12.5%
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 M J Cunningham Elem Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hufford Junior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington Jr High & Academy Prgm | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dirksen Junior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sator Sanchez Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pershing Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to M J Cunningham Elem Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,072
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 724
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 653
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 635
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in Joliet
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Thomas Jefferson Elem Sch
Standard public school
646 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Sator Sanchez Elem School
Standard public school
635 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Pershing Elem School
Standard public school
621 students 20:1 students per teacher
Lynne Thigpen Elem School
Standard public school
620 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Farragut Elem School
Standard public school
568 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Jones Elementary School
Standard public school
553 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Illinois, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~484 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on M J Cunningham Elem Sch's federal record.
- Compare M J Cunningham Elem Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Joliet Psd 86'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 M J Cunningham Elem Sch
How many students attend M J Cunningham Elem Sch?
M J Cunningham Elem Sch has 484 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Joliet, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at M J Cunningham Elem Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at M J Cunningham Elem Sch is 15.6:1, which is 11% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of M J Cunningham Elem Sch?
The largest demographic group at M J Cunningham Elem Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 84.7% of enrollment, in Joliet, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for M J Cunningham Elem Sch?
M J Cunningham Elem Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does M J Cunningham Elem Sch rank among elementary schools in Joliet?
By Resource Investment Index, M J Cunningham Elem Sch ranks #12 of 20 elementary schools in Joliet, 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 Joliet on the city page.
Is M J Cunningham Elem Sch a good school?
M J Cunningham Elem Sch earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Joliet Psd 86?
Besides M J Cunningham Elem Sch, Joliet Psd 86 also operates Hufford Junior High School (1,072 students), Washington Jr High & Academy Prgm (724 students), and Dirksen Junior High School (653 students). See the Joliet Psd 86 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.