Enrollment
416
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Decatur, IL
Pershing Early Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Pershing Early Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 171185005582
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pershing Early Learning Center earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #4 of 4
- schools in Decatur · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 41.6:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 416
- students enrolled
Pershing Early Learning Center has class sizes larger than 99% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pershing Early Learning Center ranks #4 of 4 schools in Decatur, IL.
School address
District: Decatur Sd 61 · Illinois
NCES ID 171185005582 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
41.6:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+197% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pershing Early Learning Center compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pershing Early Learning Center
Pershing Early Learning Center is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Decatur, Illinois, enrolling 416 students.
Class loads run heavy: 41.6:1 is larger than about 99% of Illinois schools and 197% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
With 416 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 3,845 Illinois schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and White (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Decatur's public schools, it stands alongside Montessori Academy for Peace (586 students): Pershing Early Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (41.6:1 vs 15:1).
Decatur Sd 61 also operates Macarthur High School (1,059 students) and Eisenhower High School (909 students) alongside Pershing Early Learning Center.
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 Pershing Early Learning Center compares
Pershing Early Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 41.6:1 | ▲ 197% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 416 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
41.6:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
416
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
41.6:1
students per teacher
- 197% above state mean
Top 99% in Illinois - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$16,005
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
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
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 47.1%
White 23.1%
Two or More 18.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 47.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.3, Pershing Early Learning Center 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 Pershing Early Learning Center.
$16,005
Per student
-6%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
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.
How Pershing Early Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macarthur High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Johns Hill Magnet School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montessori Academy for Peace | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dennis Lab School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pershing Early Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,059
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- 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 other schools in Decatur
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Illinois, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~416 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pershing Early Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Pershing Early Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Decatur Sd 61'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 Pershing Early Learning Center
How many students attend Pershing Early Learning Center?
Pershing Early Learning Center has 416 students enrolled. It is a public school in Decatur, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pershing Early Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Pershing Early Learning Center is 41.6:1, which is 197% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 165% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pershing Early Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Pershing Early Learning Center is African American at 47.1% of enrollment, in Decatur, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pershing Early Learning Center?
Pershing Early Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Pershing Early Learning Center rank among schools in Decatur?
By Resource Investment Index, Pershing Early Learning Center ranks #4 of 4 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 schools in Decatur on the city page.
Is Pershing Early Learning Center a good school?
Pershing Early Learning Center earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Illinois schools. 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 Decatur Sd 61?
Besides Pershing Early Learning Center, 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.
Related tools
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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.