Enrollment
305
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Park Forest, IL
Talala Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Talala Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 171125001349
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Talala Elementary School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Illinois schools.
- #6 of 6
- elementary schools in Park Forest · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.5:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 305
- students enrolled
Talala Elementary School has class sizes larger than 97% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Talala Elementary School ranks #6 of 6 elementary schools in Park Forest, IL.
School address
District: Crete Monee Cusd 201u · Illinois
NCES ID 171125001349 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.5:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Talala Elementary School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Talala Elementary School
Talala Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Park Forest, Illinois, enrolling 305 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.5:1 is larger than about 97% of Illinois schools and 46% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
With 305 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 3,845 Illinois schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by African American (59%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%) (diversity index 53/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Park Forest's elementary schools, it stands alongside Illinois School (391 students): Talala Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.5:1 vs 9.6:1).
Crete Monee Cusd 201u also operates Crete-Monee High School (1,480 students) and Crete-Monee Middle School (1,002 students) alongside Talala 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 Talala Elementary School compares
Talala 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 | 20.5:1 | ▲ 46% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 305 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.5:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
305
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
20.5:1
students per teacher
- 46% above state mean
Top 97% in Illinois - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
40.3%
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
$20,349
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 305 Top 63% in Illinois - larger than 37% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 14.0
Students per teacher 20.5:1 +46% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 171125001349
Student demographics
African American 59.3%
Hispanic or Latino 33.4%
Two or More 4.9%
White 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 59.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.4, Talala Elementary School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 40.3%
In-school suspensions 4
Out-of-school suspensions 2
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Crete Monee Cusd 201u, which includes Talala Elementary School.
$20,349
Per student
+19%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.1%
State 37.0%
Federal 8.8%
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 Talala Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crete-Monee High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Crete-Monee Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Balmoral Elem Sch | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Crete Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Monee Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Talala Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,480
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,002
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 381
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 373
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar elementary schools in Park Forest
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Illinois School
Standard public school
391 students 9.6:1 students per teacher
Mohawk Primary Center
Standard public school
283 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Indiana Elem School
Standard public school
215 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Blackhawk Primary Center
Standard public school
167 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
21st Century Primary Center
Standard public school
152 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Talala Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Talala Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Crete Monee Cusd 201u'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 Talala Elementary School
How many students attend Talala Elementary School?
Talala Elementary School has 305 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Park Forest, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Talala Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Talala Elementary School is 20.5:1, which is 46% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Talala Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Talala Elementary School is African American at 59.3% of enrollment, in Park Forest, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Talala Elementary School?
Talala Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Talala Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Park Forest?
By Resource Investment Index, Talala Elementary School ranks #6 of 6 elementary schools in Park Forest, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Park Forest on the city page.
Is Talala Elementary School a good school?
Talala Elementary School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% 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 Crete Monee Cusd 201u?
Besides Talala Elementary School, Crete Monee Cusd 201u also operates Crete-Monee High School (1,480 students), Crete-Monee Middle School (1,002 students), and Balmoral Elem Sch (472 students). See the Crete Monee Cusd 201u district page for the complete list.