Enrollment
394
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sterling, IL
Washington Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Washington Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 174231004260
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Washington Elem School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #2 of 6
- public schools in Sterling · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 394
- students enrolled
Washington Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Elem School ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Sterling, IL.
School address
District: Sterling Cusd 5 · Illinois
NCES ID 174231004260 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Washington Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Washington Elem School
Washington Elem School is a mid-sized elementary school in Sterling, Illinois, enrolling 394 students.
At 14.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Illinois median, within a few percentage points of the 14:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
With 394 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 (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 394 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Sterling Cusd 5 spends $13,182 per pupil, 23% below the Illinois average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Sterling's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lincoln Elem School (277 students): Washington Elem School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.1:1 vs 12.6:1).
Sterling Cusd 5 also operates Sterling High School (999 students) and Challand Middle School (726 students) alongside Washington 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 Washington Elem School compares
Washington 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 | 14.1:1 | ▲ 1% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 394 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
394
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 58% in Illinois - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
6.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,182
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 394 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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
White 57.3%
Hispanic or Latino 33.6%
Two or More 6.4%
African American 1.8%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 57.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.4, Washington Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sterling Cusd 5, which includes Washington Elem School.
$13,182
Per student
-23%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.5%
State 42.1%
Federal 13.3%
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 Washington Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Challand Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Franklin Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Elem School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Washington Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 726
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 450
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 407
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 277
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Sterling
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Illinois, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~394 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Washington Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Washington Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Sterling Cusd 5'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 Washington Elem School
How many students attend Washington Elem School?
Washington Elem School has 394 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sterling, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Washington Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Washington Elem School is 14.1:1, which is 1% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Washington Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Washington Elem School is White at 57.3% of enrollment, in Sterling, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Washington Elem School?
Washington Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical 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 Washington Elem School rank among public schools in Sterling?
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Elem School ranks #2 of 6 public schools in Sterling, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Sterling on the city page.
Is Washington Elem School a good school?
Washington Elem School earns 45/100 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 Sterling Cusd 5?
Besides Washington Elem School, Sterling Cusd 5 also operates Sterling High School (999 students), Challand Middle School (726 students), and Jefferson Elem School (450 students). See the Sterling Cusd 5 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.