ESD 159
ESD 159 is a public school district based in Matteson, Illinois, serving 1,653 students in 5 schools. By enrollment it ranks #243 of the 376 Illinois districts with 1,000 or more students, larger than about 35% of them. Its schools average 331 students each, fewer than the Illinois median of 465. Its superintendent is Dr. Tiffany Brunson. It spends about $20,894 per student on day-to-day operations, 24% more than the Illinois median. It has roughly 12.8 students per teacher.
How ESD 159 compares
Spending and staffing
| Measure | ESD 159 | Illinois median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $20,894 | $16,815 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $12,030 | $10,013 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $43.7 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $47.9 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 129 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 316 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 12.8 | 13.6 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 1,653 | 490 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The Illinois median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
Leadership
Moves tracker →Dr. Tiffany Brunson
Source: Illinois State Board of Education, Directory of Educational Entities, checked 2026-10-19. Report a change
In the news
0 stories matchedWe haven't matched any stories to ESD 159 yet. Recent Illinois coverage is on the Illinois page.
Peer districts in Illinois
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rantoul City School District 137Rantoul | 1,656 | 7 | $17,565 | 10.7 | #241 |
| ESD 159Matteson · this district | 1,653 | 5 | $20,894 | 12.8 | #243 |
| Big Hollow School District 38Ingleside | 1,653 | 3 | $15,703 | 12.9 | #242 |
| Lake Forest School District 67Lake Forest | 1,652 | 5 | $28,767 | 10.0 | #244 |
| Carbondale ESD 95Carbondale | 1,648 | 4 | $22,499 | 13.7 | #245 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue UnionSanta Rosa, CA | 1,655 | $15,995 | 22.4 |
| Saratoga Union ElementarySaratoga, CA | 1,653 | $19,588 | 21.2 |
| Lanier CountyLakeland, GA | 1,652 | $11,638 | 15.0 |
| Belding Area School DistrictBelding, MI | 1,652 | $11,600 | 15.6 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-il-esd-159