Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 26 schools in district

Parkside Elementary School

1900 W College Ave, Normal, IL 61761McLean County USD 5 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
292
Students
Total enrolled
$15,564
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 8% vs nat'l
13.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 13% vs nat'l
50/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 292 students in grades PK–05 in Normal, Illinois.
8% above average funding
District spends $15,564 per pupil, 8% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 50th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Parkside Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Normal, Illinois, serving grades PK–05 with 292 students. The district invests $15,564 per student — 8% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 54% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Parkside Elementary School

292
Total Students
13.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
54%
Free Lunch
22
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution146 male · 146 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility54%
National avg 52% · 157 students
Student Composition
59%
16%
16%
8%
Asian1%
White59%
Hispanic / Latino16%
Black16%
Multiracial8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 172862005321

Academic Outcomes at Parkside Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
50
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 50th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 79th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 61761

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,564Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,564
State avg
$20,102
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,848
Student Support$2,957
Administration$1,868
Operations$2,335
Other$1,556
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,564 spent per student, an estimated $6,895 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
29%
63%
State government
29.2%
Local (property tax)
63.4%
Federal programs
7.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Benjamin Elem SchoolGrove Elementary SchoolNorthpoint Elementary SchoolPrairieland Elementary School
+11 more
↓
Middle
Kingsley Jr High SchoolEvans Junior High SchoolParkside Jr High SchoolChiddix Jr High School
↓
High School
Normal Community High SchoolNormal Community West High SchoolYBMC Charter SchEugene Field School
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyMcLean County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMcLean County USD 5 →
Phone: (309)557-4422
NCES ID: 172862005321
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Normal seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in McLean County USD 5
High
Normal Community High School
2,131 students · 09–12
● 50 opp
High
Normal Community West High School
1,628 students · 09–12
● 50 opp
Mid
Kingsley Jr High School
753 students · 06–08
● 50 opp38% FRL
Mid
Evans Junior High School
742 students · 06–08
37% FRL
Mid
Parkside Jr High School
641 students · 06–08
● 50 opp43% FRL
Elem
Benjamin Elem School
613 students · KG–05
11% FRL
Mid
Chiddix Jr High School
594 students · 06–08
● 50 opp30% FRL
Elem
Grove Elementary School
513 students · KG–05
● 50 opp12% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1900 W College Ave, Normal, IL 61761
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.