1
Teachers: what resource would make the biggest difference at Wayne Thomas Elem School this year?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
449
Elementary
DISTRICT 361 · STATE 381
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·NORTH SHORE SD 112·NCES 170011902200
Wayne Thomas Elementary School
2939 Summit Ave, Highland Park, IL 60035 · (224) 765-3900 · Lake County
GRADES KG–05ELEMENTARY21-SUBURBREGULAR SCHOOL449 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
13.6:1
33 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 11.4:1 · STATE 13.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
,
Title I proxy
DISTRICT 40% · STATE 56%
Community
4
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 72 | 16% |
| Grade 1 | 92 | 20% |
| Grade 2 | 70 | 16% |
| Grade 3 | 76 | 17% |
| Grade 4 | 72 | 16% |
| Grade 5 | 67 | 15% |
This year's kindergarten class (72) is 7% larger than its 5th grade class (67).
Student demographics
42%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 49% · STATE 69% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
IAR + ISA 2024-25 . % Proficient (Levels 4-5)English Language Arts
68.4%
IL avg 51.0% . -4.7pp since 2023
Math
64.2%
IL avg 37.9% . -1.8pp since 2023
What this means: On the IAR + ISA, Illinois's statewide test, about 68 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 64 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Illinois schools, those numbers are about 51 and 38. Reading and writing scores are down about 5 points since 2023, while math scores are down about 2 points.
IAR + ISA results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 68.4% | 64.2% |
| 2023-24 | 73.1% | 66.0% |
% Proficient (Levels 4-5), all students and all tested grades.
Source: IAR + ISA. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where Wayne Thomas Elementary School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Illinois | In Lake County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 64.2% | #323 of 2,077 ▼ 231 | #34 of 102 ▼ 23 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 68.4% | #393 of 2,077 ▼ 326 | #41 of 102 ▼ 32 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 449 | #761 of 2,419 | #50 of 121 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.6:1 | #1,083 of 2,035 | #81 of 114 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 41.7% | #1,112 of 2,042 | #74 of 114 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +50.2% | #31 of 615 | #2 of 37 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
449
+118 (+36%) vs 2020
+3% since 2000-01, when it was 437
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 449 | 33.1 | 13.6:1 | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 442 | 33.9 | 13.1:1 | N/A |
| 2022-23 | 381 | 31.2 | 12.2:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 331 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 299 | 27.2 | 11.0:1 | 15% (44) |
| 2015-16 | 294 | 25 | 11.8:1 | 12% (35) |
| 2010-11 | 350 | 27 | 13.0:1 | 0% (0) |
| 2000-01 | 437 | 25 | 17.5:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Wayne Thomas Elementary School.
Since 2017-18: students up 50% (299 to 449); teachers up 22% (27.2 to 33.1).
About Wayne Thomas Elementary School
Wayne Thomas Elementary School is a medium-sized elementary school in Illinois, located in Highland Park. The grade span is kindergarten through 5, and enrollment is 449 students.
North Shore SD 112, which runs Wayne Thomas Elementary School, has 9 schools and 3,730 students.
White students account for 75% of enrollment at Wayne Thomas Elementary School. Enrollment also includes 13% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, 4% Asian, and 2% Black. The school's White share is 14 points above the 61% share among Lake County residents. The chance that two students picked at random at Wayne Thomas Elementary School belong to different racial or ethnic groups, known as the diversity index, is 42%.
The count of teachers at Wayne Thomas Elementary School is 33.1 full-time equivalents, for a ratio of 13.6:1. Across elementary schools in Illinois, the average ratio is about 13.9:1.
Census estimates describe Lake County this way: median household income is about $110,416, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 48% of adults, and the poverty rate is about 6%. Federal data list 214 public schools in Lake County, with a combined enrollment of about 118,032.
Northwood Middle School is the public school closest to Wayne Thomas Elementary School, about 0.1 miles away. Wayne Thomas Elementary School has at least 8 other public schools within five miles.
The federal government classifies Wayne Thomas Elementary School's location as Suburb: Large.
Enrollment was 331 in 2020-21 and 449 in 2024-25, a rise of 118 students.
The discussion area below is open to posts about enrollment questions, class placement, and PTA news. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
Lake County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
714,223
Census ACS
Median income
$110,416
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
48%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
6%
Below federal line
Schools in county
214
118,032 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in North Shore SD 112
- Edgewood Middle SchoolMiddle · 663 students
- Northwood Middle SchoolMiddle · 540 students
- Oak Terrace Elementary SchoolElementary · 494 students
- Indian Trail Elementary SchoolElementary · 472 students
- Sherwood Elementary SchoolElementary · 342 students
- Ravinia Elementary SchoolElementary · 285 students
Other schools in Highland Park
- Highland Park High SchoolHigh · 1,661 students
- Edgewood Middle SchoolMiddle · 663 students
- Northwood Middle SchoolMiddle · 540 students
- Indian Trail Elementary SchoolElementary · 472 students
- Sherwood Elementary SchoolElementary · 342 students
- Ravinia Elementary SchoolElementary · 285 students
Nearby schools
- Northwood Middle School0.1 mi · 540
- Oak Terrace Elementary School0.6 mi · 494
- Highland Park High School1.4 mi · 1,661
- Cherokee Elementary School1.5 mi · 343
- Ravinia Elementary School1.6 mi · 285
- Indian Trail Elementary School1.6 mi · 472
Frequently asked questions
About Wayne Thomas Elementary SchoolWhat is the total enrollment at Wayne Thomas Elementary School?
Wayne Thomas Elementary School enrolls approximately 449 students in grades KG-05.
Is Wayne Thomas Elementary School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Wayne Thomas Elementary School is an elementary school covering grades KG-05.
How many teachers does Wayne Thomas Elementary School have?
Wayne Thomas Elementary School employs 33 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.6:1.
How diverse is Wayne Thomas Elementary School?
Wayne Thomas Elementary School reports a student body of 75% White, 13% Hispanic, 2% Black, 4% Asian, 5% Two or more.
Who oversees Wayne Thomas Elementary School?
Wayne Thomas Elementary School is overseen by North Shore SD 112 in Lake County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.