Denning Elementary School

Denning Elementary School is an average-sized primary school in West Frankfort, Illinois, part of Frankfort CUSD 168. The school serves 439 students in grades pre-K through 2.

Across the 4 schools in Frankfort CUSD 168 (1,517 students total), Denning Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Denning Elementary School lists that the student body is overwhelmingly White (93%). Other groups include 4% multiracial, 2% Hispanic. That mix tracks the wider county fairly closely.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school employs 25 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 17.3:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 13.9:1 average. Roughly 47% of students at Denning Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Franklin County (around 57%), the school's rate is somewhat below typical.

Across the wider county, census data for Franklin County shows median household income runs about $56,740, 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 13%. In all, Franklin County runs 25 public schools (combined enrollment of about 5,523 students), of which Denning Elementary School is one.

Frankfort Comm High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.4 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 3 other public schools cluster around Denning Elementary School.

Geographically, the school is in a town-center area.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Denning Elementary School has fell 14%, going from 510 students in 2018 to 439 in 2025. Class-load math has narrowed: from 21.3:1 in 2018 to 17.3:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.