Enrollment
507
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Orland Park, IL
Prairie Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 173022003128
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Elem School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #4 of 6
- schools in Orland Park · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 507
- students enrolled
Prairie Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Elem School ranks #4 of 6 schools in Orland Park, IL.
School address
District: Orland Sd 135 · Illinois
NCES ID 173022003128 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Prairie Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Prairie Elem School
Prairie Elem School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Orland Park, Illinois, enrolling 507 students.
At 13.6:1, 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 507 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 41/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Orland Park's public schools, it stands alongside Arnold W Kruse Ed Center (462 students): Prairie Elem School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.6:1 vs 12:1).
Orland Sd 135 also operates Jerling Junior High School (677 students) and Century Junior High School (636 students) alongside Prairie Elem 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 Prairie Elem School compares
Prairie Elem 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 3% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 507 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
507
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 50% in Illinois - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.2%
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
$17,197
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 507 Top 30% in Illinois - larger than 70% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 40.0
Students per teacher 13.6:1 -3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 173022003128
Student demographics
White 74.4%
Hispanic or Latino 17.4%
Asian 3.4%
African American 2.6%
Two or More 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 74.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.4, Prairie Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 25.2%
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orland Sd 135, which includes Prairie Elem School.
$17,197
Per student
+1%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 71.0%
State 24.0%
Federal 5.1%
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 Prairie Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jerling Junior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Century Junior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Liberty Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Meadow Ridge School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Orland Jr High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 677
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 636
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 554
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 524
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar other schools in Orland Park
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Arnold W Kruse Ed Center
Standard public school
462 students 12:1 students per teacher
Fernway Park Elem School
Standard public school
461 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Centennial School
Standard public school
392 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Orland Park Elem School
Standard public school
386 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Orland Center School
Standard public school
379 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Prairie Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Prairie Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Orland Sd 135'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 Prairie Elem School
How many students attend Prairie Elem School?
Prairie Elem School has 507 students enrolled. It is a public school in Orland Park, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Elem School is 13.6:1, which is 3% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 13% 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 Prairie Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Elem School is White at 74.4% of enrollment, in Orland Park, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Elem School?
Prairie Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Prairie Elem School rank among schools in Orland Park?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Elem School ranks #4 of 6 schools in Orland Park, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Orland Park on the city page.
Is Prairie Elem School a good school?
Prairie Elem School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. 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 Orland Sd 135?
Besides Prairie Elem School, Orland Sd 135 also operates Jerling Junior High School (677 students), Century Junior High School (636 students), and Liberty Elem School (627 students). See the Orland Sd 135 district page for the complete list.