- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · New Lenox, IL
Nelson Prairie School
Federal NCES profile for Nelson Prairie School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 172814003777
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nelson Prairie School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Illinois schools.
- #8 of 9
- elementary schools in New Lenox · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.6:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 388
- students enrolled
Nelson Prairie School has class sizes larger than 90% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson Prairie School ranks #8 of 9 elementary schools in New Lenox, IL.
School address
District: New Lenox Sd 122 · Illinois
NCES ID 172814003777 Verify on NCES CCD record →
NCES CCD universe card
School universe 172814003777 · New Lenox, IL Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
388 enr · 17.6:1 · RII 38
Nearest enrollment peer: Alex M Martino Jr High School (591 students)
Resource Investment Index #8 of 9 elementary schools in New Lenox. NCES Common Core of Data stamps for this campus. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Nelson Prairie School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Alex M Martino
Alex M Martino Jr High School
591 students
- Liberty Junior
Liberty Junior High School
573 students
- Spencer Crossi
Spencer Crossing
544 students
- Spencer Pointe
Spencer Pointe
437 students
- Nelson Ridge S
Nelson Ridge School
432 students
- This school
Nelson Prairie School
388 students
What this shows Nelson Prairie School reports 388 students on the CCD universe file.
How Nelson Prairie School compares
Nelson Prairie 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 26% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 388 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
388
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 90% in Illinois - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,628
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $18,196
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 84.5%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%
Two or More 2.6%
African American 1.3%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 84.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.3, Nelson Prairie School is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Lenox Sd 122, which includes Nelson Prairie School.
$14,628
Per student
-20%
vs Illinois
Avg $18,196
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $17,658
Revenue mix
Local 70.5%
State 24.2%
Federal 5.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2022-23 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Nelson Prairie School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex M Martino Jr High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Liberty Junior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spencer Crossing | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spencer Pointe | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nelson Ridge School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nelson Prairie School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 573
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 544
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 432
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
Similar elementary schools in New Lenox
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Spencer Crossing
Standard public school
544 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Spencer Pointe
Standard public school
437 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Nelson Ridge School
Standard public school
432 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Bentley Elem School
Standard public school
380 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Oster-Oakview School
Standard public school
373 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Arnold J Tyler School
Standard public school
372 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~388 students)
Frequently asked questions about Nelson Prairie School
How many students attend Nelson Prairie School?
Nelson Prairie School has 388 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in New Lenox, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nelson Prairie School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nelson Prairie School is 17.6:1, which is 26% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nelson Prairie School?
The largest demographic group at Nelson Prairie School is White at 84.5% of enrollment, in New Lenox, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nelson Prairie School?
Nelson Prairie School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Nelson Prairie School rank among elementary schools in New Lenox?
By Resource Investment Index, Nelson Prairie School ranks #8 of 9 elementary 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 elementary schools in New Lenox on the city page.
What other schools are in New Lenox Sd 122?
Besides Nelson Prairie School, New Lenox Sd 122 also operates Alex M Martino Jr High School (591 students), Liberty Junior High School (573 students), and Spencer Crossing (544 students). See the New Lenox Sd 122 district page for the complete list.
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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.