Enrollment
449
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Highland Park, IL
Wayne Thomas Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Wayne Thomas Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 64/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 170011902200
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wayne Thomas Elem School earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Highland Park · Resource Index
- 64
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.5:1
- students per teacher
- 449
- students enrolled
Wayne Thomas Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wayne Thomas Elem School ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Highland Park, IL.
School address
District: North Shore Sd 112 · Illinois
NCES ID 170011902200 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wayne Thomas Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wayne Thomas Elem School
Wayne Thomas Elem School is a mid-sized elementary school in Highland Park, Illinois, enrolling 449 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 449 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 3,845 Illinois schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 42/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding North Shore Sd 112 spends $24,027 per pupil, 41% above the Illinois average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Highland Park's elementary schools, it stands alongside Indian Trail Elem School (472 students): Wayne Thomas Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.5:1 vs 12.8:1).
North Shore Sd 112 also operates Edgewood Middle School (663 students) and Northwood Middle School (540 students) alongside Wayne Thomas 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 Wayne Thomas Elem School compares
Wayne Thomas 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 | 14.5:1 | ▲ 4% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 449 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
449
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 63% in Illinois - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
7.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$24,027
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
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 74.8%
Hispanic or Latino 13.4%
Two or More 5.3%
Asian 4.0%
African American 2.4%
Largest group: White at 74.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.8, Wayne Thomas Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Shore Sd 112, which includes Wayne Thomas Elem School.
$24,027
Per student
+41%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+45%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.0%
State 22.6%
Federal 5.4%
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 Wayne Thomas Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgewood Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northwood Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oak Terrace Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Indian Trail Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sherwood Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wayne Thomas Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 663
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 540
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 494
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
- Enrollment
- 342
- Students per teacher
- 9:1
- Resource Index
- 69/100
Similar elementary schools in Highland Park
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Indian Trail Elem School
Standard public school
472 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Sherwood Elem School
Standard public school
342 students 9:1 students per teacher
Ravinia Elem School
Standard public school
285 students 13:1 students per teacher
Braeside Elem School
Standard public school
260 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Red Oak Elem School
Standard public school
225 students 10.2:1 students per teacher
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 (~449 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wayne Thomas Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Wayne Thomas Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- North Shore Sd 112'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 Wayne Thomas Elem School
How many students attend Wayne Thomas Elem School?
Wayne Thomas Elem School has 449 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Highland Park, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wayne Thomas Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Wayne Thomas Elem School is 14.5:1, which is 4% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wayne Thomas Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Wayne Thomas Elem School is White at 74.8% of enrollment, in Highland Park, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wayne Thomas Elem School?
Wayne Thomas Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 64/100 (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 Wayne Thomas Elem School rank among elementary schools in Highland Park?
By Resource Investment Index, Wayne Thomas Elem School ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Highland Park, 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 Highland Park on the city page.
Is Wayne Thomas Elem School a good school?
Wayne Thomas Elem School earns 64/100 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 North Shore Sd 112?
Besides Wayne Thomas Elem School, North Shore Sd 112 also operates Edgewood Middle School (663 students), Northwood Middle School (540 students), and Oak Terrace Elem School (494 students). See the North Shore Sd 112 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.