Enrollment
424
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chillicothe, IL
South Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 171997002261
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Illinois schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Chillicothe · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 424
- students enrolled
South Elementary School has class sizes larger than 77% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Chillicothe, IL.
School address
District: Il Valley Central Usd 321 · Illinois
NCES ID 171997002261 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Elementary School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Elementary School
South Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Chillicothe, Illinois, enrolling 424 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 424 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 848 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Il Valley Central Usd 321 spends $11,921 per pupil, 30% below the Illinois average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Il Valley Central Usd 321 also operates Il Valley Central High School (650 students) and Mossville Elementary School (431 students) alongside South Elementary 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 South Elementary School compares
South Elementary 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 | 15.7:1 | ▲ 12% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 424 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
424
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 77% in Illinois - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,921
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 90.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.8%
Two or More 3.3%
African American 1.9%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 90.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.3, South Elementary School is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Il Valley Central Usd 321, which includes South Elementary School.
$11,921
Per student
-30%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.1%
State 36.5%
Federal 9.4%
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 South Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il Valley Central High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mossville Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chillicothe Jr High | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mossville Jr High | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chillicothe Elementary Center | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 650
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 431
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 229
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 181
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 156
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
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 (~424 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Il Valley Central Usd 321'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 South Elementary School
How many students attend South Elementary School?
South Elementary School has 424 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chillicothe, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Elementary School is 15.7:1, which is 12% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 0% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Elementary School is White at 90.8% of enrollment, in Chillicothe, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Elementary School?
South Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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 South Elementary School rank among public schools in Chillicothe?
By Resource Investment Index, South Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Chillicothe, 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 Chillicothe on the city page.
Is South Elementary School a good school?
South Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of 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 Il Valley Central Usd 321?
Besides South Elementary School, Il Valley Central Usd 321 also operates Il Valley Central High School (650 students), Mossville Elementary School (431 students), and Chillicothe Jr High (229 students). See the Il Valley Central Usd 321 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.