Enrollment
388
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
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 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 172814003777
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 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 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Illinois schools.
- #8 of 9
- elementary schools in New Lenox · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.5:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 388
- students enrolled
Nelson Prairie School has class sizes larger than 93% 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 →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.5:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nelson Prairie School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nelson Prairie School
Nelson Prairie School is a mid-sized elementary school in New Lenox, Illinois, enrolling 388 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.5:1 is larger than about 93% of Illinois schools and 32% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
With 388 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among New Lenox's elementary schools, it stands alongside Spencer Crossing (544 students): Nelson Prairie School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.5:1 vs 18.7:1).
New Lenox Sd 122 also operates Alex M Martino Jr High School (591 students) and Liberty Junior High School (573 students) alongside Nelson Prairie 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 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 | 18.5:1 | ▲ 32% | 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
18.5:1
Leaner classes than 22% 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
18.5:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 93% in Illinois - lower ratio than 7% 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
$14,364
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
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.
Overview
Enrollment 388 Top 47% in Illinois - larger than 53% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 22.0
Students per teacher 18.5:1 +32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 172814003777
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 & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 18.0%
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 0
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Lenox Sd 122, which includes Nelson Prairie School.
$14,364
Per student
-16%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 70.5%
State 24.2%
Federal 5.3%
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 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 | Lower S:T ratio |
| Liberty Junior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spencer Crossing | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar 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
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 573
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 544
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 432
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar elementary schools in New Lenox
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Spencer Crossing
Standard public school
544 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Spencer Pointe
Standard public school
437 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Nelson Ridge School
Standard public school
432 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Bentley Elem School
Standard public school
380 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Oster-Oakview School
Standard public school
373 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Arnold J Tyler School
Standard public school
372 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nelson Prairie School's federal record.
- Compare Nelson Prairie School against another school. Compare schools
- New Lenox Sd 122'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 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 18.5:1, which is 32% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 18% 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 37/100 (typical 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 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.
Is Nelson Prairie School a good school?
Nelson Prairie School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 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.