Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 10 schools in district

West Elementary School

1513 State St, Alton, IL 62002Alton CUSD 11 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 02–05Non-Charter
400
Students
Total enrolled
$17,463
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 22% vs nat'l
13.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 13% vs nat'l
50/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 400 students in grades 02–05 in Alton, Illinois.
22% above average funding
District spends $17,463 per pupil, 22% 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

West Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Alton, Illinois, serving grades 02–05 with 400 students. The district invests $17,463 per student — 22% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 66% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at West Elementary School

400
Total Students
13.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
66%
Free Lunch
30
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (02–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution198 male · 202 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility66%
National avg 52% · 263 students
Student Composition
49%
33%
12%
Asian1%
White49%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black33%
Multiracial12%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 170360004116

Academic Outcomes at West 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 78th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 62002

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$17,463Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$17,463
State avg
$20,102
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,684
Student Support$3,318
Administration$2,096
Operations$2,619
Other$1,746
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $17,463 spent per student, an estimated $7,736 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
41%
44%
State government
40.6%
Local (property tax)
43.9%
Federal programs
15.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $17,463/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 13.3:1 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
North Elementary SchoolEast Elementary SchoolLewis & Clark Elem SchoolEunice Smith Elem School
+2 more
↓
Middle
Alton Middle School
↓
High School
Alton High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
Grades02 – 05
Location—
CountyMadison County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAlton CUSD 11 →
Phone: (618)463-2134
NCES ID: 170360004116
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Alton seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Alton CUSD 11
High
Alton High School
1,990 students · 09–12
● 50 opp51% FRL
Mid
Alton Middle School
1,241 students · 06–08
● 50 opp57% FRL
Elem
North Elementary School
603 students · 02–05
● 44 opp56% FRL
Elem
East Elementary School
424 students · 03–05
● 50 opp65% FRL
Elem
Lewis & Clark Elem School
314 students · PK–01
● 44 opp56% FRL
Elem
Eunice Smith Elem School
288 students · PK–02
● 50 opp77% FRL
Elem
Gilson Brown Elem School
274 students · PK–02
● 44 opp65% FRL
Elem
Lovejoy Elem School
218 students · KG–02
● 50 opp69% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1513 State St, Alton, IL 62002
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.