- Enrollment
- 1,059
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Decatur, IL
Parsons Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Parsons Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 171185001432
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Parsons Elementary School earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #3 of 8
- elementary schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.4:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 505
- students enrolled
Parsons Elementary School has class sizes larger than 89% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Parsons Elementary School ranks #3 of 8 elementary schools in Decatur, IL.
School address
District: Decatur Sd 61 · Illinois
NCES ID 171185001432 Verify on NCES CCD record →
NCES CCD universe card
School universe 171185001432 · Decatur, IL Elementary · MID · TRAD
505 enr · 17.4:1 · RII 20
Nearest enrollment peer: Macarthur High School (1,059 students)
Resource Investment Index #3 of 8 elementary schools in Decatur. NCES Common Core of Data stamps for this campus. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Parsons Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Macarthur High
Macarthur High School
1,059 students
- Eisenhower Hig
Eisenhower High School
909 students
- Johns Hill Mag
Johns Hill Magnet School
627 students
- Montessori Aca
Montessori Academy for Peace
586 students
- Dennis Lab Sch
Dennis Lab School
579 students
- This school
Parsons Elementary School
505 students
What this shows Parsons Elementary School reports 505 students on the CCD universe file.
How Parsons Elementary School compares
Parsons Elementary 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 | 17.4:1 | ▲ 24% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 505 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
505
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 89% in Illinois - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
60.2%
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
$15,611
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 + 53 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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.
Student-body diversity index 65.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.6, Parsons Elementary School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Decatur Sd 61, which includes Parsons Elementary School.
$15,611
Per student
-14%
vs Illinois
Avg $18,196
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $17,658
Revenue mix
Local 35.3%
State 43.3%
Federal 21.4%
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 Parsons Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macarthur High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Johns Hill Magnet School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Montessori Academy for Peace | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dennis Lab School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Parsons Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 909
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 586
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
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 16.5:1 students per teacher
Hope Academy
Standard public school
501 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Franklin Grove Elem School
Standard public school
461 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
American Dreamer Stem Academy
Standard public school
423 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Muffley Elem School
Standard public school
386 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
South Shores Elem School
Standard public school
335 students 16.8:1 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 (~505 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Frequently asked questions about Parsons Elementary School
How many students attend Parsons Elementary School?
Parsons Elementary School has 505 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Decatur, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Parsons Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Parsons Elementary School is 17.4:1, which is 24% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
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% of enrollment, in Decatur, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Parsons Elementary School?
Parsons Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (lower 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 Parsons Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Parsons Elementary School ranks #3 of 8 elementary schools in Decatur, 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 Decatur on the city page.
What other schools are in Decatur Sd 61?
Besides Parsons Elementary School, Decatur Sd 61 also operates Macarthur High School (1,059 students), Eisenhower High School (909 students), and Johns Hill Magnet School (627 students). See the Decatur Sd 61 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.