Enrollment
4,487
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
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 34
🌟 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 86% of Illinois schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Illinois.
- #45 of 394
- schools in Chicago · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.6:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 4,487
- students enrolled
Taft High School has class sizes larger than 86% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Taft High School ranks #45 of 394 schools in Chicago, IL.
School address
District: City of Chicago Sd 299 · Illinois
NCES ID 170993001153 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
269.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Taft High School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Taft High School
Taft High School is a large combined-grade school in Chicago, Illinois, enrolling 4,487 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.6:1 is larger than about 86% of Illinois schools and 19% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Illinois, bigger than 99% of state schools at 4,487 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 408 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The surrounding City of Chicago Sd 299 spends $21,050 per pupil, 24% above the Illinois average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Chicago's public schools, it stands alongside Lane Technical High School (4,604 students): Taft High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.6:1 vs 17.4:1).
City of Chicago Sd 299 also operates Lane Technical High School (4,604 students) and Curie Metropolitan High School (3,099 students) alongside Taft High 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 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 | 16.6:1 | ▲ 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
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
4,487
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 86% in Illinois - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$21,050
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $17,042
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.
Overview
Enrollment 4,487 Top 1% in Illinois - larger than 99% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 269.0
Students per teacher 16.6:1 +19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 170993001153
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 & staff
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 11.0
Students per counselor 408:1
Discipline & special education
In-school suspensions 150
Out-of-school suspensions 42
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for City of Chicago Sd 299, which includes Taft High School.
$21,050
Per student
+24%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.8%
State 29.9%
Federal 17.4%
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 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
- 4,604
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 3,099
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,268
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,223
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 2,214
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 17.4:1 students per teacher
Kenwood Academy High School
Standard public school
2,268 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Young Magnet High School
Standard public school
2,223 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Disney Elem Magnet School
Standard public school
1,384 students 16:1 students per teacher
Morgan Park High School
Standard public school
1,349 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Lindblom Math & Science Acad Hs
Standard public school
1,316 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Taft High School's federal record.
- Compare Taft High School against another school. Compare schools
- City of Chicago Sd 299'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 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 16.6:1, 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, AP course offerings, 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 #45 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.
Is Taft High School a good school?
Taft High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Illinois schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Illinois. 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 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.