Enrollment
165
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sioux Falls, SD
Challenge Center - 51
Federal NCES profile for Challenge Center - 51, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 466627001129
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 96
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Challenge Center - 51 earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of South Dakota schools.
- #4 of 16
- elementary schools in Sioux Falls · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.5:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 6.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Challenge Center - 51 has class sizes larger than 80% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Challenge Center - 51 ranks #4 of 16 elementary schools in Sioux Falls, SD.
School address
District: Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · South Dakota
NCES ID 466627001129 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
6.5%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-77% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Challenge Center - 51 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Challenge Center - 51
Challenge Center - 51 is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, enrolling 165 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.5:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 6.5% free-meal eligibility runs 77% below the South Dakota average.
Enrollment of 165 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 108 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #41.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 825 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 1.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Sioux Falls School District 49-5 spends $10,788 per pupil, 20% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Sioux Falls's elementary schools, it stands alongside John F. Kennedy Elementary - 57 (661 students): Challenge Center - 51 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.5:1 vs 17.4:1).
Sioux Falls School District 49-5 also operates Lincoln High School - 02 (1,954 students) and Jefferson High School - 67 (1,888 students) alongside Challenge Center - 51.
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 Challenge Center - 51 compares
Challenge Center - 51 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 | 16.5:1 | ▲ 21% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 6.5% | ▼ 77% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 165 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
165
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
6.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 77% below the South Dakota average of 28.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 80% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
1.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$10,788
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
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 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 82.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
Two or More 5.5%
African American 4.8%
Asian 1.8%
Largest group: White at 82.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.2, Challenge Center - 51 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sioux Falls School District 49-5, which includes Challenge Center - 51.
$10,788
Per student
-20%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.1%
State 33.1%
Federal 18.9%
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 Challenge Center - 51 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School - 02 | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jefferson High School - 67 | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington High School - 01 | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School - 03 | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Memorial Middle School - 04 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Challenge Center - 51's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,954
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,888
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,819
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,785
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,133
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Sioux Falls
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
John F. Kennedy Elementary - 57
Standard public school
661 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Rosa Parks Elementary - 15
Standard public school
618 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58
Standard public school
608 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Fred Assam Elementary - 06
Standard public school
531 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Laura Wilder Elementary - 31
Standard public school
447 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Eugene Field a+ Elementary - 16
Standard public school
444 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
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 (~165 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Challenge Center - 51's federal record.
- Compare Challenge Center - 51 against another school. Compare schools
- Sioux Falls School District 49-5'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 Challenge Center - 51
How many students attend Challenge Center - 51?
Challenge Center - 51 has 165 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenge Center - 51?
The student-teacher ratio at Challenge Center - 51 is 16.5:1, which is 21% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Challenge Center - 51?
6.5% of students at Challenge Center - 51 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Challenge Center - 51?
The largest demographic group at Challenge Center - 51 is White at 82.4% of enrollment, in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Challenge Center - 51?
Challenge Center - 51 has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Challenge Center - 51 rank among elementary schools in Sioux Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Challenge Center - 51 ranks #4 of 16 elementary schools in Sioux Falls, 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 Sioux Falls on the city page.
Is Challenge Center - 51 a good school?
Challenge Center - 51 earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Sioux Falls School District 49-5?
Besides Challenge Center - 51, Sioux Falls School District 49-5 also operates Lincoln High School - 02 (1,954 students), Jefferson High School - 67 (1,888 students), and Washington High School - 01 (1,819 students). See the Sioux Falls School District 49-5 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.