- Enrollment
- 66
- Students per teacher
- 9.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Buffalo, SD
Buffalo Elementary - 02
Federal NCES profile for Buffalo Elementary - 02, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 460930000087
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 80
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buffalo Elementary - 02 earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Buffalo · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.6:1
- students per teacher
- 16.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Buffalo Elementary - 02 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buffalo Elementary - 02 ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Buffalo, SD.
School address
District: Harding County School District 31-1 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460930000087 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+9 students YoY
Buffalo Elementary - 02 grew from 92 students in 2022-23 to 101 in 2023-24 (+9.8%).
Teacher FTE added 8.4 → 9.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+9 students YoY 460930000087 · Buffalo, SD Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
101 enr · 12.6:1 · 16.3% lunch · RII 57
Nearest enrollment peer: Harding County High School - 01 (66 students)
Buffalo Elementary - 02 grew from 92 students in 2022-23 to 101 in 2023-24 (+9.8%). Teacher FTE added 8.4 → 9.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Dakota schools → · Find another →
Buffalo Elementary - 02 in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Buffalo Elementary - 02
101 students
- Harding County
Harding County High School - 01
66 students
- Harding County
Harding County Middle School - 03
60 students
- Ludlow Element 8
Ludlow Elementary - 06
8 students
- Camp Crook Ele 8
Camp Crook Elementary - 08
8 students
What this shows Buffalo Elementary - 02 reports 101 students on the CCD universe file.
How Buffalo Elementary - 02 compares
Buffalo Elementary - 02 is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs South Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Dakota | South Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.6:1 | ▼ 7% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.3% | ▼ 43% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 101 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
101
Bigger than 10% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
16.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% 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
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 43% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
11.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$17,112
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Dakota avg of $13,985
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 101 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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.
Student demographics
White 95.0%
Two or More 3.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Largest group: White at 95.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 9.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 9.6, Buffalo Elementary - 02 is less mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
District finance for Harding County School District 31-1 reports $17,112 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Buffalo Elementary - 02 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harding County High School - 01 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harding County Middle School - 03 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ludlow Elementary - 06 | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Camp Crook Elementary - 08 | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buffalo Elementary - 02's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 60
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 8
- Students per teacher
- 8:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
- Enrollment
- 8
- Students per teacher
- 8:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~101 students)
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Elementary - 02
How many students attend Buffalo Elementary - 02?
Buffalo Elementary - 02 has 101 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Buffalo, SD. CCD year-over-year: 92 (2022-23) → 101 (2023-24), up 9.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buffalo Elementary - 02?
The student-teacher ratio at Buffalo Elementary - 02 is 12.6:1, which is 7% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 20% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buffalo Elementary - 02?
16.3% of students at Buffalo Elementary - 02 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buffalo Elementary - 02?
The largest demographic group at Buffalo Elementary - 02 is White at 95.0% of enrollment, in Buffalo, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buffalo Elementary - 02?
Buffalo Elementary - 02 has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Buffalo Elementary - 02 rank among public schools in Buffalo?
By Resource Investment Index, Buffalo Elementary - 02 ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Buffalo, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Harding County School District 31-1?
Besides Buffalo Elementary - 02, Harding County School District 31-1 also operates Harding County High School - 01 (66 students), Harding County Middle School - 03 (60 students), and Ludlow Elementary - 06 (8 students). See the Harding County School District 31-1 district page for the complete list.