IllinoisSchoolsMaine West High School

Maine West High School

PublicRegular
Des Plaines, Illinois · Maine Township HSD 207
Teachers121.0FTE
Ratio15.6:1students per teacher
Students1,886enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students1,886
Grade Span9–12
Student:Teacher15.6:1
Free/Reduced Lunch
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
15.1:1
3.2%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
123
1.7%vs prior yr
Enrollment
1,857
1.5%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
1:203
11.0%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
1:1,013
1.1%vs prior yrNASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:507
75.3%vs prior yrNASP max 1:500
Social Workers
1:1,013
50.6%vs prior yrSSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

15.0:115.3:115.6:115.8:116.1:116.4:12020202120222023202416.3:115.5:115.6:115.1:1Maine West High SchoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

1,8431,8831,9221,9612,0002,040121121122122123123202020212022202320242,0262,0051,8801,8861,857123121121123EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment2,0262,0051,8801,8861,857
Teacher FTE123121121123
Pupil : Teacher ratio16.3:115.5:115.6:115.1:115.4:1

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:4431:8851:1,3281:1,7701:2,213201720201:2281:2031:2,0491:1,013Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:4431:8851:1,3281:1,7701:2,213201720201:1,0251:1,0131:2,0491:507Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric20172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)910
Nurses (FTE)22
Psychologists (FTE)14
Social Workers (FTE)12
Counselor : Pupils1:2281:2031:250
Nurse : Pupils1:1,0251:1,0131:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:2,0491:5071:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:2,0491:1,0131:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20172020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.