Enrollment
386
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Oak Park, IL
Whittier Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Whittier Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 64/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 172925003067
👥 S:T ratio 62
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whittier Elem School earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #1 of 4
- schools in Oak Park · Resource Index
- 64
- Resource Index · Higher
- 9.6:1
- small classes for Illinois
- 386
- students enrolled
Whittier Elem School has class sizes smaller than 93% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elem School ranks #1 of 4 schools in Oak Park, IL.
School address
District: Oak Park Esd 97 · Illinois
NCES ID 172925003067 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.6:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whittier Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whittier Elem School
Whittier Elem School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Oak Park, Illinois, enrolling 386 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.6:1, Whittier Elem School is leaner than roughly 93% of Illinois schools and 31% under the state's 14:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
With 386 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 (53%) and African American (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Oak Park Esd 97 spends $22,057 per pupil, 29% above the Illinois average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Oak Park's public schools, it stands alongside Longfellow Elem School (524 students): Whittier Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.6:1 vs 11.2:1).
Oak Park Esd 97 also operates Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School (947 students) and Percy Julian Middle School (927 students) alongside Whittier 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 Whittier Elem School compares
Whittier 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 | 9.6:1 | ▼ 31% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 386 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.6:1
Leaner classes than 92% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
386
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
9.6:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 7% in Illinois - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$22,057
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
6
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 386 Top 48% in Illinois - larger than 52% of 3,845 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 41.0
Students per teacher 9.6:1 -31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible -
NCES ID 172925003067
Student demographics
White 53.1%
African American 18.5%
Two or More 14.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 53.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.9, Whittier Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 15.8%
In-school suspensions 6
Out-of-school suspensions 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Oak Park Esd 97, which includes Whittier Elem School.
$22,057
Per student
+29%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 67.4%
State 29.7%
Federal 2.9%
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 Whittier Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Percy Julian Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Abraham Lincoln Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Longfellow Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Oliver W Holmes Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whittier Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 947
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 927
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 580
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 63/100
- Enrollment
- 524
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 63/100
- Enrollment
- 513
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar other schools in Oak Park
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whittier Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Whittier Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Oak Park Esd 97'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 Whittier Elem School
How many students attend Whittier Elem School?
Whittier Elem School has 386 students enrolled. It is a public school in Oak Park, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elem School is 9.6:1, which is 31% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 39% 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 Whittier Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Whittier Elem School is White at 53.1% of enrollment, in Oak Park, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whittier Elem School?
Whittier 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 Whittier Elem School rank among schools in Oak Park?
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elem School ranks #1 of 4 schools in Oak Park, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Oak Park on the city page.
Is Whittier Elem School a good school?
Whittier Elem School earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Illinois schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Oak Park Esd 97?
Besides Whittier Elem School, Oak Park Esd 97 also operates Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School (947 students), Percy Julian Middle School (927 students), and Abraham Lincoln Elem School (580 students). See the Oak Park Esd 97 district page for the complete list.