- Enrollment
- 4,604
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chicago, IL
Taft High School
Federal NCES profile for Taft High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 170993001153
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Taft High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Illinois schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Illinois.
- #38 of 394
- schools in Chicago · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.7:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 4,487
- students enrolled
Taft High School has class sizes larger than 85% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Taft High School ranks #38 of 394 schools in Chicago, IL.
School address
District: City of Chicago Sd 299 · Illinois
NCES ID 170993001153 Verify on NCES CCD record →
NCES CCD universe card
School universe 170993001153 · Chicago, IL Other · LARGE · TRAD
4,487 enr · 16.7:1 · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: Lane Technical High School (4,604 students)
Resource Investment Index #38 of 394 schools in Chicago. NCES Common Core of Data stamps for this campus. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
Taft High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Lane Technical
Lane Technical High School
4,604 students
- This school
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
- Lincoln Park H
Lincoln Park High School
2,214 students
What this shows Taft High School reports 4,487 students on the CCD universe file.
How Taft High School compares
Taft High 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 | 16.7:1 | ▲ 19% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 4,487 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
4,487
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 85% in Illinois - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
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
Counselors11.0 FTE
Per 408 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
150
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 45.0%
White 39.4%
Asian 7.5%
Two or More 4.2%
African American 3.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.4, Taft High School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for City of Chicago Sd 299, which includes Taft High 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 Taft High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lane Technical High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Curie Metropolitan High School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kenwood Academy High School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Young Magnet High School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Park High School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Taft High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 2,214
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
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
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
Lindblom Math & Science Acad Hs
Standard public school
1,316 students 14.5:1 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 (~4,487 students)
Frequently asked questions about Taft High School
How many students attend Taft High School?
Taft High School has 4,487 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chicago, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Taft High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Taft High School is 16.7:1, which is 19% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Taft High School?
The largest demographic group at Taft High School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.0% of enrollment, in Chicago, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Taft High School?
Taft High School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Taft High School rank among schools in Chicago?
By Resource Investment Index, Taft High School ranks #38 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 Taft High School, City of Chicago Sd 299 also operates Lane Technical High School (4,604 students), Curie Metropolitan High School (3,099 students), and Kenwood Academy High School (2,268 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.