Enrollment
598
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Normal, IL
Parkside Jr High School
Federal NCES profile for Parkside Jr High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 172862003004
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Parkside Jr High School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Normal · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.1:1
- students per teacher
- 598
- students enrolled
Parkside Jr High School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Parkside Jr High School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Normal, IL.
School address
District: Mclean County Usd 5 · Illinois
NCES ID 172862003004 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Parkside Jr High School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Parkside Jr High School
Parkside Jr High School is a mid-sized middle school in Normal, Illinois, enrolling 598 students.
At 13.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Illinois median, within a few percentage points of the 14:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Enrollment of 598 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 (57%) and African American (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 299 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 143 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 598 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Normal's middle schools, it stands alongside Kingsley Jr High School (730 students): Parkside Jr High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 14.2:1).
Mclean County Usd 5 also operates Normal Community High School (2,079 students) and Normal Community West High School (1,590 students) alongside Parkside Jr 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 Parkside Jr High School compares
Parkside Jr 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 6% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 598 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
598
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 43% in Illinois - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.1%
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
$14,528
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 299 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
81
in-school suspensions + 62 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
Enrollment 598 Top 21% in Illinois - larger than 79% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 49.0
Students per teacher 13.1:1 -6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 172862003004
Student demographics
White 57.4%
African American 18.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.4%
Two or More 8.9%
Asian 2.0%
Largest group: White at 57.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.0, Parkside Jr High School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 2.0
Students per counselor 299:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 22.1%
In-school suspensions 81
Out-of-school suspensions 62
Expulsions 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mclean County Usd 5, which includes Parkside Jr High School.
$14,528
Per student
-15%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 63.3%
State 29.2%
Federal 7.4%
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 Parkside Jr High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal Community High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Normal Community West High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Evans Junior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kingsley Jr High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Parkside Jr High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,079
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,590
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 778
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 730
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 607
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar middle schools in Normal
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Parkside Jr High School's federal record.
- Compare Parkside Jr High School against another school. Compare schools
- Mclean County Usd 5'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 Parkside Jr High School
How many students attend Parkside Jr High School?
Parkside Jr High School has 598 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Normal, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Parkside Jr High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Parkside Jr High School is 13.1:1, which is 6% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 17% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Parkside Jr High School?
The largest demographic group at Parkside Jr High School is White at 57.4% of enrollment, in Normal, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Parkside Jr High School?
Parkside Jr High School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Parkside Jr High School rank among middle schools in Normal?
By Resource Investment Index, Parkside Jr High School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Normal, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Normal on the city page.
Is Parkside Jr High School a good school?
Parkside Jr High School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. 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 Mclean County Usd 5?
Besides Parkside Jr High School, Mclean County Usd 5 also operates Normal Community High School (2,079 students), Normal Community West High School (1,590 students), and Evans Junior High School (778 students). See the Mclean County Usd 5 district page for the complete list.