Founders Elementary School

Summary:

Founders Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Dekalb, Illinois, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 556 students. The school is part of the DeKalb CUSD 428 district, which is ranked 747 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Founders Elementary has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of Illinois elementary schools, maintaining a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past 10 years. The school significantly underperforms the state and district averages on standardized tests, with only 13.4% of students proficient or better in ELA and 10.9% proficient in math, compared to 17.1% and 12.4% for the district, and 41.2% and 28.4% statewide. Founders Elementary also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 19.4% in 2023-2024, significantly higher than the state average of 15-17%.

While Founders Elementary spends $16,014 per student, which is higher than the state average, the school's academic outcomes lag behind nearby Sycamore CUSD 427 schools, such as West Elementary, Southeast Elementary, and South Prairie Elementary, which have higher proficiency rates and lower chronic absenteeism. This suggests that factors beyond just funding, such as instructional quality, school leadership, and student/family engagement, may need to be addressed to improve Founders Elementary's performance.


Detail:

Public K-5

 821 S 7th St
       Dekalb, IL  60115-4572


(815) 754-3800

District: DeKalb CUSD 428

SchoolDigger Rank:
1665th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,933 Help


Students who attend Founders Elementary School usually attend:

High:    DeKalb High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.1 Help
Number of students:  556

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
40.6%
African American:
29.0%
White:
21.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  73.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Founders Elementary School ranks worse than 80.6% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 4th among 8 ranked elementary schools in the DeKalb CUSD 428 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.54. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Founders Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the DeKalb CUSD 428 School District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Founders Elementary School is $17,933. 6 elementary schools in the DeKalb CUSD 428 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Founders Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Founders Elementary School 1665th of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Founders Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


DeKalb CUSD 428:

SchoolDigger ranks DeKalb CUSD 428 747th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Founders Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2014 31.29 1509th 2093 27.9%
2015 41.21 1104th 2052 46.2%
2016 34.93 1290th 2046 37.0%
2017 17.38 1757th 2044 14.0%
2018 12.00 1908th 2037 6.3%
2019 20.66 1704th 2086 18.3%
2021 17.33 1670th 1948 14.3%
2022 17.08 1777th 2082 14.6%
2023 18.57 1731st 2077 16.7%
2024 20.54 1665th 2067 19.4%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.89 628th 718 12.5%
2019 22.61 705th 743 5.1%
2021 24.85 508th 537 5.4%
2022 24.27 714th 768 7.0%
2023 28.46 663rd 788 15.9%
2024 27.16 696th 826 15.7%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.61 611th 763 19.9%
2019 32.10 782nd 1194 34.5%
2022 28.09 823rd 1113 26.1%
2023 34.25 706th 1156 38.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.68 1739th 1765 1.5%
2019 22.45 1587th 1816 12.6%
2021 23.81 1273rd 1514 15.9%
2022 20.92 1547th 1763 12.3%
2023 24.31 1500th 1808 17.0%
2024 26.74 1407th 1793 21.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.24 1869th 1964 4.8%
2019 19.06 1719th 2019 14.9%
2021 15.73 1505th 1680 10.4%
2022 18.48 1648th 1970 16.3%
2023 18.39 1662nd 1957 15.1%
2024 23.13 1503rd 1942 22.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 37.71 496th 907 45.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.55 1796th 1972 8.9%
2019 23.72 1571st 2019 22.2%
2021 17.41 1478th 1707 13.4%
2022 16.88 1729th 1977 12.5%
2023 20.58 1576th 1984 20.6%
2024 19.81 1587th 1959 19.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.79 646th 698 7.4%
2019 26.39 587th 711 17.4%
2022 22.90 645th 684 5.7%
2023 25.64 583rd 692 15.8%
2024 24.08 577th 655 11.9%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.85 929th 938 1.0%
2019 23.27 820th 955 14.1%
2021 19.45 712th 742 4.0%
2022 14.96 939th 954 1.6%
2023 21.18 870th 970 10.3%
2024 24.36 779th 959 18.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Founders Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.94 1377th 1463 5.9%
2019 21.21 1231st 1462 15.8%
2021 16.97 1188th 1308 9.2%
2022 32.20 1021st 1425 28.4%
2023 46.75 756th 1419 46.7%
2024 34.46 957th 1392 31.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Founders Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Founders Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2012 308 51 2 204 2 0 20 0 587
2013 306 60 2 221 3 0 23 0 615
2014 302 62 3 223 3 0 30 0 623
2015 250 63 1 239 1 0 27 0 581
2016 236 60 2 231 2 0 31 0 562
2017 199 116 4 239 1 0 34 0 593
2018 172 125 2 245 1 0 41 0 586
2019 155 144 2 254 1 0 34 0 590
2020 154 153 3 248 1 0 49 0 608
2021 132 155 2 231 0 0 44 0 564
2022 136 170 0 234 1 0 50 0 591
2023 122 161 1 226 3 0 43 0 556

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Founders Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2012 587 30.0 19.5 53.3
2013 615 41.0 14.9 58.7
2014 623 30.9 20.1 59.2
2015 581 34.0 17.0 65.9
2016 562 31.0 18.1 63
2017 593 34.8 17.0 74
2018 586 37.6 15.5 77.5
2019 590 36.3 16.2 76.8
2020 608 38.1 15.9 75.8
2021 564 n/a n/a n/a
2022 591 38.3 15.4 71.9
2023 556 39.2 14.1 73.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Founders Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2012 587 30.0 19.5 53.3
2013 615 41.0 14.9 58.7
2014 623 30.9 20.1 59.2
2015 581 34.0 17.0 65.9
2016 562 31.0 18.1 63
2017 593 34.8 17.0 74
2018 586 37.6 15.5 77.5
2019 590 36.3 16.2 76.8
2020 608 38.1 15.9 75.8
2021 564 n/a n/a n/a
2022 591 38.3 15.4 71.9
2023 556 39.2 14.1 73.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Immunization Rates

Founders Elementary School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaVaricellaDTPHepatitis B
201599.0%99.0%99.0%99.0%98.8%99.0%
201697.4%96.8%96.8%96.8%97.7%97.7%
201798.7%98.5%98.5%98.5%98.8%98.8%
201897.6%97.6%97.6%97.6%97.8%97.6%
201997.8%97.8%97.8%97.8%97.6%97.8%
202197.5%97.5%97.5%97.5%97.1%97.3%97.7%
202297.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%97.3%
202397.1%98.0%98.0%98.0%97.1%97.1%100.0%
202497.3%97.1%97.1%97.1%95.8%97.1%32.1%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Founders Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,152 (9.4%) $11,161 (90.6%) $12,313
2020 $1,142 (9.5%) $10,909 (90.5%) $12,051
2021 $1,348 (10.1%) $12,061 (90.0%) $13,408
2022 $1,348 (10.1%) $12,061 (90.0%) $13,408
2023 $1,173 (7.3%) $14,841 (92.7%) $16,014
2024 $1,657 (9.2%) $16,276 (90.8%) $17,933

Data source: Illinois Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Founders Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1704th of 2086 Elementary schoolsRanks 1731st of 2077 Elementary schools
 1.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Founders Elementary School)9.510.1
 0.6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb CUSD 428)18.812.4
 6.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.428.8
 7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Founders Elementary School)14.712.2
 2.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (DeKalb CUSD 428)26.215.4
 10.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Illinois)40.633
 7.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Founders Elementary School)148.6
 5.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb CUSD 428)19.415.8
 3.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.735.4
 1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Founders Elementary School)47.4
 3.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb CUSD 428)13.412
 1.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)33.527.7
 5.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Founders Elementary School)27.611
 16.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb CUSD 428)24.214.6
 9.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)37.935.2
 2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Founders Elementary School)9.213.4
 4.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb CUSD 428)13.514.8
 1.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.825.6
 4.2%
5th Grade Science (Founders Elementary School)5025.6
 24.4%
   5th Grade Science (DeKalb CUSD 428)44.134.2
 9.9%
   5th Grade Science (Illinois)54.452.4
 2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students590556
 5.8%
African American144161
 11.8%
American Indian13
 200%
Asian21
 50%
Hispanic254226
 11%
Pacific Islander00
White155122
 21.3%
Two or More Races3443
 26.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.8%73.9%
 2.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Founders Elementary School

Founders Elementary School ranks in the bottom 19.4% of Illinois elementary schools.

Students at Founders Elementary School are 41% Hispanic, 29% African American, 22% White, 8% Two or more races.

Students who attend Founders Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : DeKalb High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 556 students attended Founders Elementary School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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