Enrollment
459
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Normal, IL
Thomas Metcalf School
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Metcalf School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 170009904504
👥 S:T ratio 61
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Metcalf School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Illinois schools.
- #1 of 4
- schools in Normal · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 9.7:1
- small classes for Illinois
- 459
- students enrolled
Thomas Metcalf School has class sizes smaller than 93% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Metcalf School ranks #1 of 4 schools in Normal, IL.
School address
District: Isu Laboratory Schools · Illinois
NCES ID 170009904504 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.7:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Metcalf School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Metcalf School
Thomas Metcalf School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Normal, Illinois, enrolling 459 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.7:1, Thomas Metcalf School is leaner than roughly 93% of Illinois schools and 31% under the state's 14:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
With 459 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 48/100).
14.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Normal's public schools, it stands alongside Sugar Creek Elem School (468 students): Thomas Metcalf School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.7:1 vs 13.8:1).
Its district, Isu Laboratory Schools, also runs University High School (624 students).
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 Thomas Metcalf School compares
Thomas Metcalf 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 | 9.7:1 | ▼ 31% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 459 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.7:1
Leaner classes than 91% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
459
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
9.7:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 7% in Illinois - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 459 Top 36% in Illinois - larger than 64% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 44.0
Students per teacher 9.7:1 -31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 170009904504
Student demographics
White 70.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.2%
Asian 8.7%
Two or More 7.2%
African American 3.3%
Largest group: White at 70.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.7, Thomas Metcalf School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 14.4%
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 0
How Thomas Metcalf School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| University High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Metcalf School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 624
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Normal
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Metcalf School's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Metcalf School against another school. Compare schools
- Isu Laboratory Schools'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 Thomas Metcalf School
How many students attend Thomas Metcalf School?
Thomas Metcalf School has 459 students enrolled. It is a public school in Normal, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Metcalf School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Metcalf School is 9.7:1, which is 31% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 38% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Metcalf School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Metcalf School is White at 70.6% of enrollment, in Normal, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Metcalf School?
Thomas Metcalf School has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 Thomas Metcalf School rank among schools in Normal?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Metcalf School ranks #1 of 4 schools in Normal, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Normal on the city page.
Is Thomas Metcalf School a good school?
Thomas Metcalf School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% 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 Isu Laboratory Schools?
Besides Thomas Metcalf School, Isu Laboratory Schools also operates University High School (624 students). See the Isu Laboratory Schools district page for the complete list.