- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sycamore, IL
South Prairie Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Prairie Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 173846002633
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 82
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Prairie Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Illinois schools.
- #3 of 7
- public schools in Sycamore · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.8:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 456
- students enrolled
South Prairie Elementary School has class sizes larger than 95% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Prairie Elementary School ranks #3 of 7 public schools in Sycamore, IL.
School address
District: Sycamore Cusd 427 · Illinois
NCES ID 173846002633 Verify on NCES CCD record →
NCES CCD universe card
School universe 173846002633 · Sycamore, IL Other · SMALL · TRAD
456 enr · 19.8:1 · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: Sycamore High School (1,161 students)
Resource Investment Index #3 of 7 public schools in Sycamore. NCES Common Core of Data stamps for this campus. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
South Prairie Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Sycamore High
Sycamore High School
1,161 students
- Sycamore Middl
Sycamore Middle School
847 students
- This school 456
South Prairie Elementary School
456 students
- North Grove El 377
North Grove Elementary School
377 students
- North Elementa 309
North Elementary School
309 students
- Southeast Elem 300
Southeast Elem School
300 students
What this shows South Prairie Elementary School reports 456 students on the CCD universe file.
How South Prairie Elementary School compares
South Prairie 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 | 19.8:1 | ▲ 41% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 456 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
456
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 41% above state mean
Top 95% in Illinois - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$17,897
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $18,196
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 + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 71.1%
Hispanic or Latino 16.4%
African American 5.7%
Two or More 5.5%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 71.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.1, South Prairie Elementary School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sycamore Cusd 427, which includes South Prairie Elementary School.
$17,897
Per student
-2%
vs Illinois
Avg $18,196
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $17,658
Revenue mix
Local 59.3%
State 36.1%
Federal 4.6%
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 South Prairie Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sycamore High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sycamore Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Grove Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Elementary School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southeast Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Prairie Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 847
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 309
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 300
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
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 (~456 students)
Frequently asked questions about South Prairie Elementary School
How many students attend South Prairie Elementary School?
South Prairie Elementary School has 456 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sycamore, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Prairie Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Prairie Elementary School is 19.8:1, which is 41% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 26% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Prairie Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Prairie Elementary School is White at 71.1% of enrollment, in Sycamore, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Prairie Elementary School?
South Prairie Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 South Prairie Elementary School rank among public schools in Sycamore?
By Resource Investment Index, South Prairie Elementary School ranks #3 of 7 public schools in Sycamore, 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 Sycamore on the city page.
What other schools are in Sycamore Cusd 427?
Besides South Prairie Elementary School, Sycamore Cusd 427 also operates Sycamore High School (1,161 students), Sycamore Middle School (847 students), and North Grove Elementary School (377 students). See the Sycamore Cusd 427 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.