Enrollment
508
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chicago Ridge, IL
Ridge Central Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Ridge Central Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 170999001230
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ridge Central Elem School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Chicago Ridge · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 508
- students enrolled
Ridge Central Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ridge Central Elem School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Chicago Ridge, IL.
School address
District: Chicago Ridge Sd 127-5 · Illinois
NCES ID 170999001230 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ridge Central Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ridge Central Elem School
Ridge Central Elem School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Chicago Ridge, Illinois, enrolling 508 students.
At 14.1:1, 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 508 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (37%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 508 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Chicago Ridge's public schools, it stands alongside Ridge Lawn Elementary School (572 students): Ridge Central Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.1:1 vs 15.5:1).
Chicago Ridge Sd 127-5 also operates Ridge Lawn Elementary School (572 students) and Elden D Finley Jr High School (405 students) alongside Ridge Central 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 Ridge Central Elem School compares
Ridge Central 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 | 14.1:1 | ▲ 1% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 508 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
508
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 58% in Illinois - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.2%
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
$14,806
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 508 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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
White 43.5%
Hispanic or Latino 37.4%
African American 10.8%
Two or More 4.7%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Largest group: White at 43.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.6, Ridge Central Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chicago Ridge Sd 127-5, which includes Ridge Central Elem School.
$14,806
Per student
-13%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 59.6%
Federal 11.6%
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 Ridge Central Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridge Lawn Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Elden D Finley Jr High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ridge Central Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 572
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 405
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar other schools in Chicago Ridge
1 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 (~508 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ridge Central Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Ridge Central Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Chicago Ridge Sd 127-5'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 Ridge Central Elem School
How many students attend Ridge Central Elem School?
Ridge Central Elem School has 508 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chicago Ridge, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ridge Central Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ridge Central Elem School is 14.1:1, which is 1% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ridge Central Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Ridge Central Elem School is White at 43.5% of enrollment, in Chicago Ridge, 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 Ridge Central Elem School?
Ridge Central Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ridge Central Elem School rank among public schools in Chicago Ridge?
By Resource Investment Index, Ridge Central Elem School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Chicago Ridge, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Chicago Ridge on the city page.
Is Ridge Central Elem School a good school?
Ridge Central Elem School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. 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 Chicago Ridge Sd 127-5?
Besides Ridge Central Elem School, Chicago Ridge Sd 127-5 also operates Ridge Lawn Elementary School (572 students) and Elden D Finley Jr High School (405 students). See the Chicago Ridge Sd 127-5 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.