- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sycamore, IL
West Elem School
Federal NCES profile for West Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 173846003921
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Elem School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Illinois schools.
- #3 of 4
- elementary schools in Sycamore · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.7:1
- small classes for Illinois
- 270
- students enrolled
West Elem School has class sizes smaller than 75% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Elem School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Sycamore, IL.
School address
District: Sycamore Cusd 427 · Illinois
NCES ID 173846003921 Verify on NCES CCD record →
NCES CCD universe card
School universe 173846003921 · Sycamore, IL Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
270 enr · 11.7:1 · RII 43
Nearest enrollment peer: Sycamore High School (1,161 students)
Resource Investment Index #3 of 4 elementary schools in Sycamore. NCES Common Core of Data stamps for this campus. Read with this school → · District book → · Illinois schools → · Find another →
West Elem School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Sycamore High
Sycamore High School
1,161 students
- Sycamore Middl
Sycamore Middle School
847 students
- South Prairie 456
South Prairie Elementary School
456 students
- North Grove El 377
North Grove Elementary School
377 students
- North Elementa 309
North Elementary School
309 students
- This school 270
West Elem School
270 students
What this shows West Elem School reports 270 students on the CCD universe file.
How West Elem School compares
West 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 | 11.7:1 | ▼ 16% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 270 | top 70% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
270
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 25% in Illinois - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
21.5%
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
$17,897
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $18,196
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 65.2%
Hispanic or Latino 21.1%
Two or More 7.4%
African American 5.6%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 65.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.2, West Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sycamore Cusd 427, which includes West Elem School.
$17,897
Per student
-2%
vs Illinois
Avg $18,196
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $17,658
Revenue mix
Local 59.3%
State 36.1%
Federal 4.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2022-23 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How West Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sycamore High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sycamore Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Prairie Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Grove Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 847
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 456
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 309
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Sycamore
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~270 students)
Frequently asked questions about West Elem School
How many students attend West Elem School?
West Elem School has 270 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sycamore, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Elem School is 11.7:1, which is 16% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 25% 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 West Elem School?
The largest demographic group at West Elem School is White at 65.2% of enrollment, in Sycamore, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Elem School?
West Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does West Elem School rank among elementary schools in Sycamore?
By Resource Investment Index, West Elem School ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Sycamore, 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 Sycamore on the city page.
What other schools are in Sycamore Cusd 427?
Besides West Elem School, Sycamore Cusd 427 also operates Sycamore High School (1,161 students), Sycamore Middle School (847 students), and South Prairie Elementary School (456 students). See the Sycamore Cusd 427 district page for the complete list.
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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.