Enrollment
574
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sioux Falls, SD
Garfield Elementary - 19
Federal NCES profile for Garfield Elementary - 19, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 466627000587
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Garfield Elementary - 19 earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #13 of 22
- schools in Sioux Falls · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 61.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Garfield Elementary - 19 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Garfield Elementary - 19 ranks #13 of 22 schools in Sioux Falls, SD.
School address
District: Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · South Dakota
NCES ID 466627000587 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.6%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+114% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Garfield Elementary - 19 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Garfield Elementary - 19
Garfield Elementary - 19 is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, enrolling 574 students.
At 12.8:1, 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 is high: 61.6% of students qualify for free meals, 114% above the South Dakota average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 93% of state schools at 574 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Its student body is led by White (32%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 287 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
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 public schools, it stands alongside Discovery Elementary - 26 (873 students): Garfield Elementary - 19 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 17.8:1).
Sioux Falls School District 49-5 also operates Lincoln High School - 02 (1,954 students) and Jefferson High School - 67 (1,888 students) alongside Garfield Elementary - 19.
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 Garfield Elementary - 19 compares
Garfield Elementary - 19 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 | 12.8:1 | ▼ 6% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.6% | ▲ 114% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 574 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
574
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 114% above the South Dakota average of 28.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 44% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
31.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 287 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
32
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.4 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 31.9%
Hispanic or Latino 24.6%
African American 17.4%
Two or More 13.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 10.3%
Asian 2.4%
Largest group: White at 31.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.8, Garfield Elementary - 19 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 Garfield Elementary - 19.
$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 Garfield Elementary - 19 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School - 02 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson High School - 67 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington High School - 01 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School - 03 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Memorial Middle School - 04 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Garfield Elementary - 19'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 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 (~574 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Garfield Elementary - 19's federal record.
- Compare Garfield Elementary - 19 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 Garfield Elementary - 19
How many students attend Garfield Elementary - 19?
Garfield Elementary - 19 has 574 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Garfield Elementary - 19?
The student-teacher ratio at Garfield Elementary - 19 is 12.8:1, which is 6% 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 Garfield Elementary - 19?
61.6% of students at Garfield Elementary - 19 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Garfield Elementary - 19?
The largest demographic group at Garfield Elementary - 19 is White at 31.9% of enrollment, in Sioux Falls, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Garfield Elementary - 19?
Garfield Elementary - 19 has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Garfield Elementary - 19 rank among schools in Sioux Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Garfield Elementary - 19 ranks #13 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 Garfield Elementary - 19 a good school?
Garfield Elementary - 19 earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. 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 Sioux Falls School District 49-5?
Besides Garfield Elementary - 19, 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.