Enrollment
57
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Belle Fourche, SD
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09
Federal NCES profile for Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 460561001277
👥 S:T ratio 24
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of South Dakota schools.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Belle Fourche · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 31.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 has class sizes larger than 93% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Belle Fourche, SD.
School address
District: Belle Fourche School District 09-1 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460561001277 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
3.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.6%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 is a mid-sized high school in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, enrolling 57 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19:1 is larger than about 93% of South Dakota schools and 40% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 31.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 57 puts it in the smaller third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 691 South Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 57 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #55, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 228 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Belle Fourche School District 09-1 spends $10,486 per pupil, 22% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 20.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Belle Fourche's high schools, it stands alongside Belle Fourche High School - 01 (389 students): Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19:1 vs 15.6:1).
Belle Fourche School District 09-1 also operates Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 (414 students) and Belle Fourche High School - 01 (389 students) alongside Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 compares
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 on the metrics families compare, against South Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Dakota | South Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▲ 40% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.6% | ▲ 10% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 57 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
57
Bigger than 6% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% above the South Dakota average of 28.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19:1
students per teacher
- 40% above state mean
Top 93% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
36.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,486
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Dakota avg of $13,477
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Belle Fourche School District 09-1, which includes Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09.
$10,486
Per student
-22%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.6%
State 41.5%
Federal 20.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Belle Fourche High School - 01 | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Park Elementary - 03 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Park Elementary - 08 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 414
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 389
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 89
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Belle Fourche
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of South Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~57 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09's federal record.
- Compare Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 against another school. Compare schools
- Belle Fourche School District 09-1's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09
How many students attend Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09?
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 has 57 students enrolled. It is a high school in Belle Fourche, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09?
The student-teacher ratio at Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 is 19:1, which is 40% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09?
31.6% of students at Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09?
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 rank among public schools in Belle Fourche?
By Resource Investment Index, Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Belle Fourche, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Belle Fourche on the city page.
Is Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 a good school?
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of South Dakota schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Belle Fourche School District 09-1?
Besides Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09, Belle Fourche School District 09-1 also operates Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 (414 students), Belle Fourche High School - 01 (389 students), and South Park Elementary - 03 (347 students). See the Belle Fourche School District 09-1 district page for the complete list.
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Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.