Enrollment
378
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wheeling, IL
Walt Whitman Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Walt Whitman Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 174221004238
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 62
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walt Whitman Elem School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #3 of 4
- schools in Wheeling · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.9:1
- students per teacher
- 378
- students enrolled
Walt Whitman Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walt Whitman Elem School ranks #3 of 4 schools in Wheeling, IL.
School address
District: Wheeling Ccsd 21 · Illinois
NCES ID 174221004238 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walt Whitman Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walt Whitman Elem School
Walt Whitman Elem School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Wheeling, Illinois, enrolling 378 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 378 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 Hispanic or Latino (77%) and White (13%) (diversity index 39/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 189 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Wheeling Ccsd 21 spends $23,863 per pupil, 40% above the Illinois average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Wheeling's public schools, it stands alongside Eugene Field Elem School (613 students): Walt Whitman Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.9:1 vs 15.6:1).
Wheeling Ccsd 21 also operates Cooper Middle School (732 students) and Jack London Middle School (628 students) alongside Walt Whitman 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 Walt Whitman Elem School compares
Walt Whitman 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 | 378 | top 49% | - | - |
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.
378
Bigger than 44% 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
34.4%
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
$23,863
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 189 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 378 Top 49% in Illinois - larger than 51% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 31.0
Students per teacher 12.9:1 -8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 174221004238
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 76.5%
White 13.2%
African American 3.7%
Asian 3.7%
Two or More 2.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 76.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.4, Walt Whitman Elem School is about as mixed as the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 2.0
Students per counselor 189:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 34.4%
In-school suspensions 15
Out-of-school suspensions 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wheeling Ccsd 21, which includes Walt Whitman Elem School.
$23,863
Per student
+40%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.2%
State 26.2%
Federal 9.6%
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 Walt Whitman Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jack London Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oliver W Holmes Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eugene Field Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joyce Kilmer Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walt Whitman Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 628
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 615
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 590
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Wheeling
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walt Whitman Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Walt Whitman Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Wheeling Ccsd 21'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 Walt Whitman Elem School
How many students attend Walt Whitman Elem School?
Walt Whitman Elem School has 378 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wheeling, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walt Whitman Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Walt Whitman 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 Walt Whitman Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Walt Whitman Elem School is Hispanic or Latino at 76.5% of enrollment, in Wheeling, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walt Whitman Elem School?
Walt Whitman Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Walt Whitman Elem School rank among schools in Wheeling?
By Resource Investment Index, Walt Whitman Elem School ranks #3 of 4 schools in Wheeling, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Wheeling on the city page.
Is Walt Whitman Elem School a good school?
Walt Whitman Elem School earns 49/100 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 Wheeling Ccsd 21?
Besides Walt Whitman Elem School, Wheeling Ccsd 21 also operates Cooper Middle School (732 students), Jack London Middle School (628 students), and Oliver W Holmes Middle School (615 students). See the Wheeling Ccsd 21 district page for the complete list.