Enrollment
29
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sioux Falls, SD
Falls Academy - 08
Federal NCES profile for Falls Academy - 08, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 463171001389
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Falls Academy - 08 earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of South Dakota schools.
- #22 of 22
- schools in Sioux Falls · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 29:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 12.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Falls Academy - 08 has class sizes larger than 99% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Falls Academy - 08 ranks #22 of 22 schools in Sioux Falls, SD.
School address
District: West Central School District 49-7 · South Dakota
NCES ID 463171001389 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
29:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+113% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.0%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Falls Academy - 08 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Falls Academy - 08
Falls Academy - 08 is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, enrolling 29 students.
Class loads run heavy: 29:1 is larger than about 99% of South Dakota schools and 113% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 12.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 29 puts it in the smaller third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 691 South Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 34 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #34, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by American Indian / Alaska Native (69%) and White (21%) (diversity index 48/100).
The surrounding West Central School District 49-7 spends $9,843 per pupil, 27% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Sioux Falls's public schools, it stands alongside Discovery Elementary - 26 (873 students): Falls Academy - 08 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (29:1 vs 17.8:1).
West Central School District 49-7 also operates West Central High School - 01 (408 students) and West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 (368 students) alongside Falls Academy - 08.
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 Falls Academy - 08 compares
Falls Academy - 08 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 | 29:1 | ▲ 113% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.0% | ▼ 58% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 29 | top 82% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
29
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% 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
29:1
students per teacher
- 113% above state mean
Top 99% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$9,843
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
Counselors0.0 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.
Student demographics
American Indian / Alaska Native 69.0%
White 20.7%
Two or More 6.9%
African American 3.4%
Largest group: American Indian / Alaska Native at 69.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.5, Falls Academy - 08 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Central School District 49-7, which includes Falls Academy - 08.
$9,843
Per student
-27%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.4%
State 39.1%
Federal 12.5%
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 Falls Academy - 08 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Central High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Central Humboldt Elementary - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Central Middle School - 04 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brighten Transition Youth Treatment Center - 07 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Falls Academy - 08's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 368
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 310
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 297
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 6
- Students per teacher
- 3:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar other schools in Sioux Falls
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Discovery Elementary - 26
Standard public school
873 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Rf Pettigrew Elementary - 17
Standard public school
846 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Hayward Elementary - 38
Standard public school
728 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Sonia Sotomayor Elementary - 65
Standard public school
690 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Harvey Dunn Elementary - 54
Standard public school
681 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
John Harris Elementary - 23
Standard public school
666 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~29 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~29:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Falls Academy - 08's federal record.
- Compare Falls Academy - 08 against another school. Compare schools
- West Central School District 49-7'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 Falls Academy - 08
How many students attend Falls Academy - 08?
Falls Academy - 08 has 29 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Falls Academy - 08?
The student-teacher ratio at Falls Academy - 08 is 29:1, which is 113% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 85% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Falls Academy - 08?
12.0% of students at Falls Academy - 08 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Falls Academy - 08?
The largest demographic group at Falls Academy - 08 is American Indian / Alaska Native at 69.0% of enrollment, in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Falls Academy - 08?
Falls Academy - 08 has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Falls Academy - 08 rank among schools in Sioux Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Falls Academy - 08 ranks #22 of 22 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 schools in Sioux Falls on the city page.
Is Falls Academy - 08 a good school?
Falls Academy - 08 earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% 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 West Central School District 49-7?
Besides Falls Academy - 08, West Central School District 49-7 also operates West Central High School - 01 (408 students), West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 (368 students), and West Central Humboldt Elementary - 02 (310 students). See the West Central School District 49-7 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.