Enrollment
386
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · North Sioux City, SD
Dakota Valley Elementary - 02
Federal NCES profile for Dakota Valley Elementary - 02, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 463699000251
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in North Sioux City · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.9:1
- students per teacher
- 8.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 ranks #3 of 4 public schools in North Sioux City, SD.
School address
District: Dakota Valley School District 61-8 · South Dakota
NCES ID 463699000251 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
8.8%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dakota Valley Elementary - 02
Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in North Sioux City, South Dakota, enrolling 386 students.
At 12.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Dakota median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 8.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 386 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 75 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #25.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (11%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 386 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Dakota Valley School District 61-8 spends $10,430 per pupil, 23% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among North Sioux City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dakota Valley Upper Elementary - 04 (179 students): Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.9:1 vs 11.9:1).
Dakota Valley School District 61-8 also operates Dakota Valley High School - 01 (431 students) and Dakota Valley Middle School - 03 (345 students) alongside Dakota Valley Elementary - 02.
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 Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 compares
Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 5% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 8.8% | ▼ 69% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 386 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
386
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
8.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 45% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
5.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,430
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 386 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.
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 73.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.4%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
African American 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
Largest group: White at 73.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.0, Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dakota Valley School District 61-8, which includes Dakota Valley Elementary - 02.
$10,430
Per student
-23%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.0%
State 23.8%
Federal 10.2%
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 Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Valley High School - 01 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dakota Valley Middle School - 03 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dakota Valley Upper Elementary - 04 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dakota Valley Elementary - 02's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 431
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 345
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 179
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
Similar elementary schools in North Sioux City
1 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 (~386 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dakota Valley Elementary - 02's federal record.
- Compare Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 against another school. Compare schools
- Dakota Valley School District 61-8'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 Dakota Valley Elementary - 02
How many students attend Dakota Valley Elementary - 02?
Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 has 386 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in North Sioux City, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dakota Valley Elementary - 02?
The student-teacher ratio at Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 is 12.9:1, which is 5% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 18% 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 Dakota Valley Elementary - 02?
8.8% of students at Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dakota Valley Elementary - 02?
The largest demographic group at Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 is White at 73.6% of enrollment, in North Sioux City, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dakota Valley Elementary - 02?
Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 rank among public schools in North Sioux City?
By Resource Investment Index, Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 ranks #3 of 4 public schools in North Sioux City, 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 North Sioux City on the city page.
Is Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 a good school?
Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. 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 Dakota Valley School District 61-8?
Besides Dakota Valley Elementary - 02, Dakota Valley School District 61-8 also operates Dakota Valley High School - 01 (431 students), Dakota Valley Middle School - 03 (345 students), and Dakota Valley Upper Elementary - 04 (179 students). See the Dakota Valley School District 61-8 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.