Enrollment
505
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Elementary school (grades K-5) NCES 171185001432
Parsons Elementary School — Decatur, IL
Federal NCES profile for Parsons Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — composite Resource Quality Score 22/100.
School address
District: Decatur Sd 61 · Illinois
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 14.6:1 Illinois avg
+9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Parsons Elementary School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What this school's NCES data tells you
Parsons Elementary School reports 505 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 29.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 9% above the Illinois state mean of 14.6:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 0% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 60.2% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Decatur Sd 61 spends $18,855 per pupil district-wide, below the Illinois average of $20,099 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 35.3% from local sources (property taxes), 43.3% from the state, and 21.4% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a composite Resource Quality Grade of F (22/100), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Parsons Elementary School compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Illinois state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | 14.6:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Enrollment (students) | 505 | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
Overview
Enrollment 505
Teachers (FTE) 29.0
Students per teacher 15.9:1 +9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID 171185001432
Student demographics
African American 49.1%
White 26.5%
Two or More 17.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 49.1% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 60.2%
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 53
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Decatur Sd 61, which includes Parsons Elementary School.
$18,855
Per student
-6%
vs Illinois
Avg $20,099
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 35.3%
State 43.3%
Federal 21.4%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,059
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Enrollment
- 909
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Enrollment
- 586
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
Similar elementary schools in Decatur
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Johns Hill Magnet School
Standard public school
627 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Hope Academy
Standard public school
501 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Franklin Grove Elem School
Standard public school
461 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
American Dreamer Stem Academy
Standard public school
423 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Muffley Elem School
Standard public school
386 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
South Shores Elem School
Standard public school
335 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about Parsons Elementary School
How many students attend Parsons Elementary School?
Parsons Elementary School has 505 students enrolled. It is a elementary school in Decatur, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Parsons Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Parsons Elementary School is 15.9:1, which is 9% higher than the Illinois average of 14.6:1 and 0% higher than the national average of 15.9:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Parsons Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Parsons Elementary School is African American at 49.1%. The school serves a diverse student body in Decatur, IL.
What is the quality grade for Parsons Elementary School?
Parsons Elementary School receives a Resource Quality Grade of F (22/100) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. This grade reflects available federal resource indicators, not standardized test scores.
Related data sources
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