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Diekman Elementary School

Summary:

Diekman Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Dolton, Illinois, serving grades PK-6 with a student population of 318. The school is part of the Dolton School District 149, which is ranked 793 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Diekman Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of Illinois elementary schools over the past decade, with a current ranking of 1656 out of 2067 schools and a 1-star rating.

Diekman Elementary School faces significant challenges, including high chronic absenteeism, low academic performance, and equity concerns. The school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 14.8% in 2019-2020 to 35.6% in 2023-2024, which is notably higher than the state average of 17% for the 2020-2021 school year. Academically, only 18.1% of Diekman students were proficient or better in ELA in 2023-2024, compared to 41.2% statewide and 14.5% in the Dolton School District 149. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with the school ranking in the top 50% of Illinois schools for African American students but in the bottom 40% for female, male, and low socioeconomic status students.

Despite the increased spending per student at Diekman Elementary School, from $13,604 in 2019-2020 to $21,123 in 2022-2023, the school's academic performance has not shown commensurate improvement. This suggests that simply increasing funding may not be enough to drive meaningful change, and a more comprehensive approach to school improvement may be necessary. Interestingly, Diekman Elementary School's performance is generally lower than that of the nearby schools within the Dolton School District 149, such as New Beginnings Learning Academy, Carol Moseley Braun School, and Berger-Vandenberg Elementary School, which also struggle academically but tend to outperform Diekman.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 15121 Dorchester Ave
       Dolton, IL  60419-2941

(708) 841-3838

District: Dolton School District 149

SchoolDigger Rank:
1656th of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $20,491 Help


Students who attend Diekman Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Creative Communications Academy
    S T E M Academy
    School of Fine Arts

Student/teacher ratio:  17.6 Help
Number of students:  318

Racial breakdown:

African American:
93.4%
Hispanic:
5.3%
Two or more races:
0.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  96.9% Help


 See top rated Illinois elementary schools

 Compare Diekman Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Diekman Elementary School ranks worse than 80.1% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 2nd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Dolton School District 149. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.88. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a 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 Diekman Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Dolton School District 149.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Diekman Elementary School is $20,491, which is the highest among 5 elementary schools in the Dolton School District 149!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Diekman Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Diekman Elementary School 1656th of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Diekman Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:


Dolton School District 149:

SchoolDigger ranks Dolton School District 149 793rd of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Diekman Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Diekman Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 11.28 1764th 2020 12.7%
2004 11.85 1799th 2030 11.4%
2005 12.17 1810th 2022 10.5%
2006 8.65 1920th 2086 8.0%
2007 5.00 1985th 2095 5.3%
2008 22.82 1730th 2092 17.3%
2009 25.21 1718th 2120 19.0%
2010 8.16 2003rd 2139 6.4%
2011 13.97 1929th 2147 10.2%
2012 20.62 1840th 2166 15.1%
2013 6.75 2090th 2167 3.6%
2014 4.54 2057th 2093 1.7%
2015 17.31 1780th 2052 13.3%
2016 11.47 1934th 2046 5.5%
2017 12.43 1885th 2044 7.8%
2018 11.71 1921st 2037 5.7%
2019 10.86 1993rd 2086 4.5%
2021 12.72 1870th 1948 4.0%
2022 14.23 1901st 2082 8.7%
2023 14.74 1883rd 2077 9.3%
2024 20.88 1656th 2067 19.9%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Diekman Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 21.24 1098th 1194 8.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.24 1623rd 1765 8.0%
2019 16.97 1698th 1816 6.5%
2021 18.94 1415th 1514 6.5%
2022 21.69 1528th 1763 13.3%
2023 22.41 1558th 1808 13.8%
2024 32.55 1251st 1793 30.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Diekman Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.47 1806th 1964 8.0%
2019 11.22 1915th 2019 5.2%
2021 12.13 1611th 1680 4.1%
2022 12.41 1882nd 1970 4.5%
2023 17.11 1702nd 1957 13.0%
2024 21.38 1550th 1942 20.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Diekman Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.00 1847th 1972 6.3%
2019 13.46 1877th 2019 7.0%
2021 13.61 1615th 1707 5.4%
2022 20.21 1590th 1977 19.6%
2023 17.43 1701st 1984 14.3%
2024 24.68 1464th 1959 25.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Diekman Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.35 529th 698 24.2%
2019 25.35 606th 711 14.8%
2021 29.92 329th 428 23.1%
2022 35.89 411th 684 39.9%
2023 36.01 429th 692 38.0%
2024 46.85 292nd 655 55.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for African American 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.

Diekman Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for Diekman Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 178 215 1 16 1 n/a n/a 0 411
1989 143 254 2 10 n/a n/a n/a 0 409
1990 116 281 5 12 2 n/a n/a 0 416
1991 55 335 2 8 2 n/a n/a 0 402
1992 35 363 0 10 0 n/a n/a 0 408
1993 32 370 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 410
1994 28 431 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 467
1995 16 661 1 18 0 n/a n/a 0 696
1996 16 661 1 18 0 n/a n/a 0 696
1997 5 653 4 13 0 n/a n/a 0 675
1998 5 644 0 12 0 n/a n/a 0 661
1999 1 585 0 10 0 n/a n/a 0 596
2000 2 612 0 10 0 n/a n/a 0 624
2001 1 551 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 558
2002 1 565 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 573
2003 1 565 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 573
2004 1 525 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 530
2005 3 409 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 420
2006 0 372 0 9 0 n/a n/a 0 381
2007 0 363 0 20 0 n/a n/a 0 383
2008 0 317 0 17 0 n/a n/a 0 334
2009 0 317 0 12 0 n/a n/a 0 329
2010 2 325 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 334
2011 3 307 0 4 0 0 1 0 315
2012 1 306 0 5 1 0 0 0 313
2013 1 351 0 3 2 1 0 0 358
2014 3 393 0 4 1 0 0 0 401
2015 6 383 0 7 1 0 0 0 397
2016 4 367 0 12 2 0 0 0 385
2017 3 342 0 11 3 0 0 0 359
2018 2 371 0 8 1 0 0 0 382
2019 2 348 0 10 0 0 0 0 360
2020 2 357 0 8 0 0 0 0 367
2021 2 329 0 9 1 0 0 0 341
2022 1 348 0 12 1 0 0 0 362
2023 0 297 1 17 1 0 2 0 318

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 Diekman Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 411 18.9 21.7 n/a
1989 409 19.5 20.9 n/a
1990 416 20.5 20.2 n/a
1991 402 20.0 20.1 n/a
1992 408 17.9 22.7 n/a
1993 410 20.0 20.5 n/a
1994 467 21.0 22.2 n/a
1995 696 29.0 24.0 n/a
1996 696 29.0 24.0 n/a
1997 675 26.9 25.1 n/a
1998 661 29.0 22.8 n/a
1999 596 32.0 18.6 n/a
2000 624 32.0 19.5 n/a
2001 558 27.0 20.7 n/a
2002 573 29.0 19.8 62.3
2003 573 29.0 19.8 62.3
2004 530 27.0 19.6 77.4
2005 420 27.0 15.6 83.3
2006 381 23.0 16.6 78
2007 383 22.0 17.4 71
2008 334 17.0 19.6 79.6
2009 329 17.0 19.4 65
2010 334 18.0 18.5 76.6
2011 315 16.0 19.6 81.3
2012 313 16.0 19.5 98.1
2013 358 23.1 15.4 97.8
2014 401 20.0 20.0 99.3
2015 397 21.0 18.9 98.5
2016 385 19.0 20.2 100
2017 359 22.0 16.3 99.2
2018 382 22.0 17.3 99.7
2019 360 21.0 17.1 100
2020 367 18.0 20.3 100
2021 341 n/a n/a n/a
2022 362 16.0 22.6 97.5
2023 318 18.0 17.6 96.9

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 Diekman Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 411 18.9 21.7 n/a
1989 409 19.5 20.9 n/a
1990 416 20.5 20.2 n/a
1991 402 20.0 20.1 n/a
1992 408 17.9 22.7 n/a
1993 410 20.0 20.5 n/a
1994 467 21.0 22.2 n/a
1995 696 29.0 24.0 n/a
1996 696 29.0 24.0 n/a
1997 675 26.9 25.1 n/a
1998 661 29.0 22.8 n/a
1999 596 32.0 18.6 n/a
2000 624 32.0 19.5 n/a
2001 558 27.0 20.7 n/a
2002 573 29.0 19.8 62.3
2003 573 29.0 19.8 62.3
2004 530 27.0 19.6 77.4
2005 420 27.0 15.6 83.3
2006 381 23.0 16.6 78
2007 383 22.0 17.4 71
2008 334 17.0 19.6 79.6
2009 329 17.0 19.4 65
2010 334 18.0 18.5 76.6
2011 315 16.0 19.6 81.3
2012 313 16.0 19.5 98.1
2013 358 23.1 15.4 97.8
2014 401 20.0 20.0 99.3
2015 397 21.0 18.9 98.5
2016 385 19.0 20.2 100
2017 359 22.0 16.3 99.2
2018 382 22.0 17.3 99.7
2019 360 21.0 17.1 100
2020 367 18.0 20.3 100
2021 341 n/a n/a n/a
2022 362 16.0 22.6 97.5
2023 318 18.0 17.6 96.9

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

Diekman Elementary School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPPneumococcal Meningococcal
201591.3%91.3%91.3%91.3%37.0%91.3%91.3%27.5%
201691.7%91.7%91.7%91.7%36.7%91.7%85.0%30.0%6.7%
201796.6%93.5%93.5%93.5%42.6%96.6%96.6%33.4%6.0%
201894.7%94.7%94.7%94.7%39.7%94.7%94.7%31.2%8.5%
201999.7%99.5%99.5%99.5%38.2%99.5%99.5%27.7%6.4%
202193.7%95.8%95.8%95.8%98.3%98.3%95.1%22.1%9.5%
202295.4%94.5%94.5%94.5%94.5%94.5%95.4%22.0%6.4%
202390.6%90.6%90.6%90.6%90.6%90.6%90.6%25.3%4.7%
202498.9%98.6%98.6%98.6%43.2%99.6%98.6%36.1%5.4%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Diekman Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $3,006 (15.5%) $16,436 (84.5%) $19,442
2020 $1,697 (12.5%) $11,907 (87.5%) $13,604
2021 $2,409 (13.3%) $15,692 (86.7%) $18,102
2022 $2,409 (13.3%) $15,692 (86.7%) $18,102
2023 $2,364 (11.2%) $18,759 (88.8%) $21,123
2024 $2,463 (12.0%) $18,028 (88.0%) $20,491

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Diekman 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 1993rd of 2086 Elementary schoolsRanks 1883rd of 2077 Elementary schools
 4.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Diekman Elementary School)14.311.1
 3.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dolton School District 149)6.97.4
 0.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.428.8
 7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Diekman Elementary School)2511.1
 13.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Dolton School District 149)8.38.5
 0.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Illinois)40.633
 7.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Diekman Elementary School)10.33.3
 7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Dolton School District 149)1511
 4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.735.4
 1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Diekman Elementary School)2.60
 2.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Dolton School District 149)57
 2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)33.527.7
 5.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Diekman Elementary School)8.36.7
 1.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Dolton School District 149)164.4
 11.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)37.935.2
 2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Diekman Elementary School)00
   5th Grade Mathematics (Dolton School District 149)51.3
 3.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.825.6
 4.2%
5th Grade Science (Diekman Elementary School)8.624.1
 15.5%
   5th Grade Science (Dolton School District 149)23.517.5
 6%
   5th Grade Science (Illinois)54.452.4
 2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Diekman Elementary School)2.615.6
 13%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Dolton School District 149)911.8
 2.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Diekman Elementary School)03.1
 3.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Dolton School District 149)14.7
 3.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students360318
 11.7%
African American348297
 14.7%
American Indian01
Asian01
Hispanic1017
 70%
Pacific Islander00
White20
 100%
Two or More Races02
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%96.9%
 3.1%

Schools Near Diekman Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Diekman Elementary School

Students at Diekman Elementary School are 93% African American, 5% Hispanic.

In the 2022-23 school year, 318 students attended Diekman Elementary School.

Diekman Elementary School ranks in the bottom 19.9% of Illinois elementary schools.

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

Middle : Creative Communications Academy
Middle : S T E M Academy
Middle : School of Fine Arts


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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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