Enrollment
445
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Deerfield, IL
Walden Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Walden Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 72/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 171198001439
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 98
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walden Elem School earns 72/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Deerfield · Resource Index
- 72
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.9:1
- students per teacher
- 445
- students enrolled
Walden Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walden Elem School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Deerfield, IL.
School address
District: Deerfield Sd 109 · Illinois
NCES ID 171198001439 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walden Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walden Elem School
Walden Elem School is a mid-sized elementary school in Deerfield, Illinois, enrolling 445 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 445 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 100% of the 3,845 Illinois schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 0.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Deerfield Sd 109 spends $24,889 per pupil, 46% above the Illinois average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Deerfield's elementary schools, it stands alongside Wilmot Elem School (477 students): Walden Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.9:1 vs 11.6:1).
Deerfield Sd 109 also operates Wilmot Elem School (477 students) and Alan B Shepard Middle School (476 students) alongside Walden Elem 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 Walden Elem School compares
Walden Elem 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 8% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 445 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
445
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 40% in Illinois - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
0.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$24,889
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
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 445 Top 38% in Illinois - larger than 62% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 35.0
Students per teacher 12.9:1 -8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 171198001439
Student demographics
White 82.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%
Asian 4.5%
Two or More 2.7%
African American 1.1%
Largest group: White at 82.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.5, Walden Elem School is less mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 0.7%
In-school suspensions 2
Out-of-school suspensions 0
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Deerfield Sd 109, which includes Walden Elem School.
$24,889
Per student
+46%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+50%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 74.3%
State 22.5%
Federal 3.2%
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 Walden Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmot Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alan B Shepard Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kipling Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Charles J Caruso Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Park Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walden Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 477
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 8.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 452
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 440
- Students per teacher
- 8.6:1
- Resource Index
- 67/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar elementary schools in Deerfield
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walden Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Walden Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Deerfield Sd 109'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 Walden Elem School
How many students attend Walden Elem School?
Walden Elem School has 445 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Deerfield, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walden Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Walden Elem School is 12.9:1, which is 8% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 18% 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 Walden Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Walden Elem School is White at 82.7% of enrollment, in Deerfield, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walden Elem School?
Walden Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 72/100 (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 Walden Elem School rank among elementary schools in Deerfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Walden Elem School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Deerfield, 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 Deerfield on the city page.
Is Walden Elem School a good school?
Walden Elem School earns 72/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. 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 Deerfield Sd 109?
Besides Walden Elem School, Deerfield Sd 109 also operates Wilmot Elem School (477 students), Alan B Shepard Middle School (476 students), and Kipling Elem School (452 students). See the Deerfield Sd 109 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.