Enrollment
169
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Middle school (grades 6-8) NCES 170031905598
West Central Middle School — Stronghurst, IL
Federal NCES profile for West Central Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 37/100.
👥 Class size 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 34
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: West Central Cusd 235 · Illinois
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 14.6:1 Illinois avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Central Middle School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
West Central Middle School reports 169 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 14.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 10% below the Illinois state mean of 14.6:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 18% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 26.6% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding West Central Cusd 235 spends $17,656 per pupil district-wide, below the Illinois average of $20,099 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 58.1% from local sources (property taxes), 35.3% from the state, and 6.7% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (F), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How West Central Middle School compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Illinois state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.1:1 | ▼ 10% | 14.6:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Enrollment | 169 | top 13% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
— 10% below state mean
Top 43% in Illinois — lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
26.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,656
per pupil, district-wide
— below Illinois avg of $20,099
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
23
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 42.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 169 Top 13% in Illinois — larger than 87% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 14.0
Students per teacher 13.1:1 -10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID 170031905598
Student demographics
White 94.1%
Two or More 3.6%
Hispanic or Latino 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 94.1% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 26.6%
In-school suspensions 23
Out-of-school suspensions 49
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Central Cusd 235, which includes West Central Middle School.
$17,656
Per student
-12%
vs Illinois
Avg $20,099
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 58.1%
State 35.3%
Federal 6.7%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Enrollment
- 212
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Enrollment
- 50
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about West Central Middle School
How many students attend West Central Middle School?
West Central Middle School has 169 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Stronghurst, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Central Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Central Middle School is 13.1:1, which is 10% lower than the Illinois average of 14.6:1 and 18% lower than the national average of 15.9:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Central Middle School?
The largest demographic group at West Central Middle School is White at 94.1%. The school serves a diverse student body in Stronghurst, IL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Central Middle School?
West Central Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (F) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.