Enrollment
505
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Aurora, IL
West Aurora Learning Center/Ela
Federal NCES profile for West Aurora Learning Center/Ela, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 170471005474
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Aurora Learning Center/Ela earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Illinois schools.
- #21 of 21
- schools in Aurora · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.3:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 505
- students enrolled
West Aurora Learning Center/Ela has class sizes larger than 98% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Aurora Learning Center/Ela ranks #21 of 21 schools in Aurora, IL.
School address
District: Aurora West Usd 129 · Illinois
NCES ID 170471005474 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.3:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Aurora Learning Center/Ela compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Aurora Learning Center/Ela
West Aurora Learning Center/Ela is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Aurora, Illinois, enrolling 505 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25.3:1 is larger than about 98% of Illinois schools and 81% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Enrollment of 505 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 3,845 Illinois schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (69%) and White (15%) (diversity index 50/100).
Among Aurora's public schools, it stands alongside Olney C Allen Elem School (712 students): West Aurora Learning Center/Ela is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.3:1 vs 16.6:1).
Aurora West Usd 129 also operates West Aurora High School (3,641 students) and Washington Middle School (690 students) alongside West Aurora Learning Center/Ela.
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 West Aurora Learning Center/Ela compares
West Aurora Learning Center/Ela on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.3:1 | ▲ 81% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 505 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
505
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 81% above state mean
Top 98% in Illinois - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$15,437
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 68.5%
White 14.5%
African American 6.9%
Asian 6.3%
Two or More 3.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 68.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.0, West Aurora Learning Center/Ela is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Aurora West Usd 129, which includes West Aurora Learning Center/Ela.
$15,437
Per student
-9%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.3%
State 37.9%
Federal 10.8%
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 West Aurora Learning Center/Ela Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Aurora High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Washington Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Herget Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Freeman Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Aurora Learning Center/Ela's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,641
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 594
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 529
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Aurora
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Olney C Allen Elem School
Standard public school
712 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
C M Bardwell Elem School
Standard public school
679 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Prairie Children Preschool
Standard public school
643 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Nicholas a Hermes Elem School
Standard public school
607 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Freeman Elem School
Standard public school
529 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Greenman Elem School
Standard public school
528 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~505 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Aurora Learning Center/Ela's federal record.
- Compare West Aurora Learning Center/Ela against another school. Compare schools
- Aurora West Usd 129'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 West Aurora Learning Center/Ela
How many students attend West Aurora Learning Center/Ela?
West Aurora Learning Center/Ela has 505 students enrolled. It is a public school in Aurora, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Aurora Learning Center/Ela?
The student-teacher ratio at West Aurora Learning Center/Ela is 25.3:1, which is 81% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Aurora Learning Center/Ela?
The largest demographic group at West Aurora Learning Center/Ela is Hispanic or Latino at 68.5% of enrollment, in Aurora, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Aurora Learning Center/Ela?
West Aurora Learning Center/Ela has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does West Aurora Learning Center/Ela rank among schools in Aurora?
By Resource Investment Index, West Aurora Learning Center/Ela ranks #21 of 21 schools in Aurora, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Aurora on the city page.
Is West Aurora Learning Center/Ela a good school?
West Aurora Learning Center/Ela earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of 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 Aurora West Usd 129?
Besides West Aurora Learning Center/Ela, Aurora West Usd 129 also operates West Aurora High School (3,641 students), Washington Middle School (690 students), and Herget Middle School (594 students). See the Aurora West Usd 129 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.