Enrollment
339
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Zion, IL
West Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 174386004356
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Illinois schools.
- #6 of 8
- public schools in Zion · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.4:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 339
- students enrolled
West Elementary School has class sizes larger than 74% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Elementary School ranks #6 of 8 public schools in Zion, IL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Elementary School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Elementary School
West Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Zion, Illinois, enrolling 339 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 339 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% 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 (60%) and African American (29%) (diversity index 55/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Zion Esd 6 spends $21,749 per pupil, 28% above the Illinois average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Zion's elementary schools, it stands alongside Elmwood Elem School (336 students): West Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 17.7:1).
Zion Esd 6 also operates Shiloh Park Middle School (358 students) and Elmwood Elem School (336 students) alongside West Elementary 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 West Elementary School compares
West Elementary 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 | 15.4:1 | ▲ 10% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 339 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
339
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 74% in Illinois - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
39.5%
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
$21,749
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
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 59.9%
African American 28.9%
Two or More 6.2%
White 5.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 59.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.1, West Elementary School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Zion Esd 6, which includes West Elementary School.
$21,749
Per student
+28%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.5%
State 57.4%
Federal 10.1%
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 Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiloh Park Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Elmwood Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Zion Central Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Beulah Park Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakeview School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 358
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 330
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 289
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 249
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar elementary schools in Zion
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 (~339 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Zion Esd 6'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 Elementary School
How many students attend West Elementary School?
West Elementary School has 339 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Zion, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School is 15.4:1, which is 10% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 59.9% of enrollment, in Zion, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Elementary School?
West Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower 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 West Elementary School rank among public schools in Zion?
By Resource Investment Index, West Elementary School ranks #6 of 8 public schools in Zion, 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 Zion on the city page.
Is West Elementary School a good school?
West Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% 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 Zion Esd 6?
Besides West Elementary School, Zion Esd 6 also operates Shiloh Park Middle School (358 students), Elmwood Elem School (336 students), and Zion Central Middle School (330 students). See the Zion Esd 6 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.