- Enrollment
- 1,884
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Machesney Park, IL
Ralston Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Ralston Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 171824002107
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ralston Elem School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #2 of 4
- elementary schools in Machesney Park · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.2:1
- students per teacher
- 232
- students enrolled
Ralston Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ralston Elem School ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Machesney Park, IL.
School address
District: Harlem Ud 122 · Illinois
NCES ID 171824002107 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+10 students YoY
Ralston Elem School held near 294 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+10 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 19.1 → 19.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+10 students YoY 171824002107 · Machesney Park, IL Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
232 enr · 12.2:1 · RII 42
Nearest enrollment peer: Harlem High School (1,884 students)
Ralston Elem School held near 294 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+10 headcount). Teacher FTE held 19.1 → 19.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Ralston Elem School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Harlem High Sc
Harlem High School
1,884 students
- Harlem Middle
Harlem Middle School
1,330 students
- Donald C Parke 571
Donald C Parker Early Educ Center
571 students
- Machesney Elem 361
Machesney Elem School
361 students
- Windsor Elem S 315
Windsor Elem School
315 students
- This school 232
Ralston Elem School
232 students
What this shows Ralston Elem School reports 232 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ralston Elem School compares
Ralston Elem School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.2:1 | ▼ 13% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 232 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
232
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 31% in Illinois - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
21.6%
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
$21,101
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $18,196
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 76.7%
Hispanic or Latino 13.8%
Two or More 8.2%
African American 1.3%
Largest group: White at 76.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.6, Ralston Elem School is about as mixed as the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
District finance for Harlem Ud 122 reports $21,101 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ralston Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harlem High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harlem Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Donald C Parker Early Educ Center | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Machesney Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Windsor Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ralston Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,330
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 571
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 315
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Machesney Park
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~232 students)
Frequently asked questions about Ralston Elem School
How many students attend Ralston Elem School?
Ralston Elem School has 232 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Machesney Park, IL. CCD year-over-year: 284 (2022-23) → 294 (2023-24), nearly flat (+10).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ralston Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ralston Elem School is 12.2:1, which is 13% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 22% 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 Ralston Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Ralston Elem School is White at 76.7% of enrollment, in Machesney Park, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ralston Elem School?
Ralston Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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 Ralston Elem School rank among elementary schools in Machesney Park?
By Resource Investment Index, Ralston Elem School ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Machesney Park, 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 Machesney Park on the city page.
What other schools are in Harlem Ud 122?
Besides Ralston Elem School, Harlem Ud 122 also operates Harlem High School (1,884 students), Harlem Middle School (1,330 students), and Donald C Parker Early Educ Center (571 students). See the Harlem Ud 122 district page for the complete list.