- Enrollment
- 4,604
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chicago, IL
Smyth J Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Smyth J Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 170993001098
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smyth J Elem School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 91% of Illinois schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #194 of 394
- schools in Chicago · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 9.9:1
- small classes for Illinois
- 348
- students enrolled
Smyth J Elem School has class sizes smaller than 91% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smyth J Elem School ranks #194 of 394 schools in Chicago, IL.
School address
District: City of Chicago Sd 299 · Illinois
NCES ID 170993001098 Verify on NCES CCD record →
NCES CCD universe card
School universe 170993001098 · Chicago, IL Other · SMALL · TRAD
348 enr · 9.9:1 · RII 30
Nearest enrollment peer: Lane Technical High School (4,604 students)
Resource Investment Index #194 of 394 schools in Chicago. NCES Common Core of Data stamps for this campus. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Smyth J Elem School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Lane Technical
Lane Technical High School
4,604 students
- Taft High Scho
Taft High School
4,487 students
- Curie Metropol
Curie Metropolitan High School
3,099 students
- Kenwood Academ
Kenwood Academy High School
2,268 students
- Young Magnet H
Young Magnet High School
2,223 students
- This school 348
Smyth J Elem School
348 students
What this shows Smyth J Elem School reports 348 students on the CCD universe file.
How Smyth J Elem School compares
Smyth J 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 | 9.9:1 | ▼ 29% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 348 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.9:1
Leaner classes than 89% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
348
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
9.9:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 9% in Illinois - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
56.9%
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
$22,699
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $18,196
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 348 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 93.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
White 0.9%
Two or More 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 93.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.0, Smyth J Elem School is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for City of Chicago Sd 299, which includes Smyth J Elem School.
$22,699
Per student
+25%
vs Illinois
Avg $18,196
+29%
vs U.S.
Avg $17,658
Revenue mix
Local 52.8%
State 29.9%
Federal 17.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2022-23 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Smyth J Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lane Technical High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Taft High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Curie Metropolitan High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kenwood Academy High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Young Magnet High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smyth J Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,487
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 3,099
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,268
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,223
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar other schools in Chicago
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Lane Technical High School
Standard public school
4,604 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Taft High School
Standard public school
4,487 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Kenwood Academy High School
Standard public school
2,268 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Young Magnet High School
Standard public school
2,223 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Disney Elem Magnet School
Standard public school
1,384 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Morgan Park High School
Standard public school
1,349 students 19:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other 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 (~348 students)
Frequently asked questions about Smyth J Elem School
How many students attend Smyth J Elem School?
Smyth J Elem School has 348 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chicago, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smyth J Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Smyth J Elem School is 9.9:1, which is 29% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 37% 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 Smyth J Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Smyth J Elem School is African American at 93.1% of enrollment, in Chicago, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smyth J Elem School?
Smyth J Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Smyth J Elem School rank among schools in Chicago?
By Resource Investment Index, Smyth J Elem School ranks #194 of 394 schools in Chicago, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chicago on the city page.
What other schools are in City of Chicago Sd 299?
Besides Smyth J Elem School, City of Chicago Sd 299 also operates Lane Technical High School (4,604 students), Taft High School (4,487 students), and Curie Metropolitan High School (3,099 students). See the City of Chicago Sd 299 district page for the complete list.
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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.