Enrollment
2,323
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Plainfield, IL
Plainfield South High School
Federal NCES profile for Plainfield South High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 173174004524
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Plainfield South High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Illinois schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Illinois.
- #1 of 4
- high schools in Plainfield · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.6:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 2,323
- students enrolled
Plainfield South High School has class sizes larger than 90% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Plainfield South High School ranks #1 of 4 high schools in Plainfield, IL.
School address
District: Plainfield Sd 202 · Illinois
NCES ID 173174004524 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
137.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Plainfield South High School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Plainfield South High School
Plainfield South High School is a large high school in Plainfield, Illinois, enrolling 2,323 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.6:1 is larger than about 90% of Illinois schools and 26% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Illinois, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,323 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 23 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 332 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Plainfield's high schools, it stands alongside Plainfield North High School (2,399 students): Plainfield South High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.6:1 vs 17.9:1).
Plainfield Sd 202 also operates Plainfield North High School (2,399 students) and Plainfield East High School (1,825 students) alongside Plainfield South 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 Plainfield South High School compares
Plainfield South 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 26% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 2,323 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,323
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 90% in Illinois - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$15,235
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
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 332 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
54
in-school suspensions + 40 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
Overview
Enrollment 2,323 Top 1% in Illinois - larger than 99% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 137.0
Students per teacher 17.6:1 +26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 173174004524
Student demographics
White 41.6%
Hispanic or Latino 31.5%
African American 19.6%
Two or More 4.3%
Asian 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 41.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.7, Plainfield South High School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
AP courses offered 23
Counselors (FTE) 7.0
Students per counselor 332:1
Discipline & special education
In-school suspensions 54
Out-of-school suspensions 40
Expulsions 4
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Plainfield Sd 202, which includes Plainfield South High School.
$15,235
Per student
-11%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.4%
State 43.1%
Federal 6.6%
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 Plainfield South High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield North High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Plainfield East High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Plainfield High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| John F Kennedy Middle Sch | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Timber Ridge Middle School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Plainfield South High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,399
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,825
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,800
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 912
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 885
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar high schools in Plainfield
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Plainfield South High School's federal record.
- Compare Plainfield South High School against another school. Compare schools
- Plainfield Sd 202'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 Plainfield South High School
How many students attend Plainfield South High School?
Plainfield South High School has 2,323 students enrolled. It is a high school in Plainfield, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Plainfield South High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Plainfield South High School is 17.6:1, which is 26% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Plainfield South High School?
The largest demographic group at Plainfield South High School is White at 41.6% of enrollment, in Plainfield, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Plainfield South High School?
Plainfield South High School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Plainfield South High School rank among high schools in Plainfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Plainfield South High School ranks #1 of 4 high schools in Plainfield, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Plainfield on the city page.
Is Plainfield South High School a good school?
Plainfield South High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Illinois schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Illinois. 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 Plainfield Sd 202?
Besides Plainfield South High School, Plainfield Sd 202 also operates Plainfield North High School (2,399 students), Plainfield East High School (1,825 students), and Plainfield High School (1,800 students). See the Plainfield Sd 202 district page for the complete list.