Enrollment
432
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pierre, SD
Buchanan Elementary - 03
Federal NCES profile for Buchanan Elementary - 03, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 465526000494
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buchanan Elementary - 03 earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Pierre · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 21.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Buchanan Elementary - 03 has class sizes larger than 78% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buchanan Elementary - 03 ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Pierre, SD.
School address
District: Pierre School District 32-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465526000494 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.5%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Buchanan Elementary - 03 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Buchanan Elementary - 03
Buchanan Elementary - 03 is a large elementary school in Pierre, South Dakota, enrolling 432 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 21.5% lands close to the South Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 432 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Among 96 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #84, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Two or More (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 432 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Pierre School District 32-2 spends $9,982 per pupil, 26% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Pierre's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kennedy Elementary - 08 (413 students): Buchanan Elementary - 03 is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16:1 vs 15.9:1).
Pierre School District 32-2 also operates T F Riggs High School - 01 (855 students) and Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 (672 students) alongside Buchanan Elementary - 03.
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 Buchanan Elementary - 03 compares
Buchanan Elementary - 03 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 | 16:1 | ▲ 18% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.5% | ▼ 25% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 432 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
432
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% below 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
16:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 78% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$9,982
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 432 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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.
Student demographics
White 62.5%
Two or More 14.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 13.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
Asian 2.5%
African American 0.9%
Largest group: White at 62.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.5, Buchanan Elementary - 03 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pierre School District 32-2, which includes Buchanan Elementary - 03.
$9,982
Per student
-26%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.0%
State 40.7%
Federal 16.3%
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 Buchanan Elementary - 03 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| T F Riggs High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kennedy Elementary - 08 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Elementary - 06 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buchanan Elementary - 03's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 672
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Pierre
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~432 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Buchanan Elementary - 03's federal record.
- Compare Buchanan Elementary - 03 against another school. Compare schools
- Pierre School District 32-2'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 Buchanan Elementary - 03
How many students attend Buchanan Elementary - 03?
Buchanan Elementary - 03 has 432 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pierre, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buchanan Elementary - 03?
The student-teacher ratio at Buchanan Elementary - 03 is 16:1, which is 18% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buchanan Elementary - 03?
21.5% of students at Buchanan Elementary - 03 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buchanan Elementary - 03?
The largest demographic group at Buchanan Elementary - 03 is White at 62.5% of enrollment, in Pierre, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buchanan Elementary - 03?
Buchanan Elementary - 03 has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Buchanan Elementary - 03 rank among elementary schools in Pierre?
By Resource Investment Index, Buchanan Elementary - 03 ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Pierre, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Pierre on the city page.
Is Buchanan Elementary - 03 a good school?
Buchanan Elementary - 03 earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Pierre School District 32-2?
Besides Buchanan Elementary - 03, Pierre School District 32-2 also operates T F Riggs High School - 01 (855 students), Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 (672 students), and Kennedy Elementary - 08 (413 students). See the Pierre School District 32-2 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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.