Enrollment
426
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Champaign, IL
Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch
Federal NCES profile for Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 170942002361
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #1 of 11
- elementary schools in Champaign · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.4:1
- students per teacher
- 426
- students enrolled
Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch ranks #1 of 11 elementary schools in Champaign, IL.
School address
District: Champaign Cusd 4 · Illinois
NCES ID 170942002361 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch
Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch is a mid-sized elementary school in Champaign, Illinois, enrolling 426 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 426 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 African American (36%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Champaign's elementary schools, it stands alongside International Prep Academy (681 students): Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.4:1 vs 11.8:1).
Champaign Cusd 4 also operates Central High School (1,666 students) and Centennial High School (1,476 students) alongside Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch.
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 Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch compares
Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▼ 11% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 426 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
426
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 32% in Illinois - lower ratio than 68% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
29.6%
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
$17,883
per pupil, district-wide
- above Illinois avg of $17,042
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting 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 + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 35.9%
White 27.5%
Asian 19.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
Two or More 7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: African American at 35.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.3, Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Champaign Cusd 4, which includes Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch.
$17,883
Per student
+5%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 63.3%
State 26.0%
Federal 10.7%
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 Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| International Prep Academy | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Franklin Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,666
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,476
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 711
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 681
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar elementary schools in Champaign
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
International Prep Academy
Standard public school
681 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Bottenfield Elem School
Standard public school
456 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Stratton Elementary School
Standard public school
454 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Robeson Elem School
Standard public school
439 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Westview Elem School
Standard public school
434 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Dr Howard Elem School
Standard public school
426 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch's federal record.
- Compare Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Champaign Cusd 4'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 Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch
How many students attend Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch?
Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch has 426 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Champaign, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch is 12.4:1, which is 11% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 21% 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 Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch?
The largest demographic group at Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch is African American at 35.9% of enrollment, in Champaign, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch?
Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch rank among elementary schools in Champaign?
By Resource Investment Index, Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch ranks #1 of 11 elementary schools in Champaign, 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 Champaign on the city page.
Is Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch a good school?
Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Champaign Cusd 4?
Besides Vernon L Barkstall Elementary Sch, Champaign Cusd 4 also operates Central High School (1,666 students), Centennial High School (1,476 students), and Jefferson Middle School (711 students). See the Champaign Cusd 4 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.