IllinoisSchoolsHenry W Cowherd Middle School

Henry W Cowherd Middle School

PublicRegular
Aurora, Illinois · Aurora East USD 131
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students850
Grade Span6–8
Student:Teacher13.1:1
Free/Reduced Lunch72%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
13.2:1
0.8%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
61
6.2%vs prior yr
Enrollment
807
5.1%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
1:315
0.6%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
NASN max 1:750
Psychologists
NASP max 1:500
Social Workers
1:473
0.6%vs prior yrSSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

12.9:113.4:114.0:114.5:115.1:115.6:12020202120222023202414.6:113.8:113.1:113.2:1This schoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

7968288608939259576162636364652020202120222023202494692188385080763646561EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment946921883850807
Teacher FTE63646561
Pupil : Teacher ratio14.6:113.8:113.1:113.2:115.4:1

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)

1:01:1031:2061:3081:4111:514201720201:3171:3151:4761:473Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric20172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)33
Nurses (FTE)
Psychologists (FTE)
Social Workers (FTE)22
Counselor : Pupils1:3171:3151:250
Nurse : Pupils1:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:4761:4731:250

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.