Enrollment
316
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Brookings, SD
Hillcrest Elementary - 04
Federal NCES profile for Hillcrest Elementary - 04, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 460852000085
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillcrest Elementary - 04 earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of South Dakota schools.
- #3 of 4
- elementary schools in Brookings · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 22.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillcrest Elementary - 04 has class sizes larger than 76% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary - 04 ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Brookings, SD.
School address
District: Brookings School District 05-1 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460852000085 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.0%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillcrest Elementary - 04 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillcrest Elementary - 04
Hillcrest Elementary - 04 is a mid-sized elementary school in Brookings, South Dakota, enrolling 316 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 22.0% lands close to the South Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 316 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 89 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #59.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 316 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Brookings's elementary schools, it stands alongside Camelot Intermediate - 06 (523 students): Hillcrest Elementary - 04 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.8:1 vs 14.9:1).
Brookings School District 05-1 also operates Brookings High School - 01 (979 students) and George S. Mickelson Middle School - 02 (780 students) alongside Hillcrest Elementary - 04.
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 Hillcrest Elementary - 04 compares
Hillcrest Elementary - 04 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 | 15.8:1 | ▲ 16% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.0% | ▼ 24% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 316 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
316
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 76% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,042
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 316 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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 74.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 3.8%
African American 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.5%
Largest group: White at 74.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.0, Hillcrest Elementary - 04 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Brookings School District 05-1, which includes Hillcrest Elementary - 04.
$11,042
Per student
-18%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.4%
State 36.4%
Federal 12.1%
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 Hillcrest Elementary - 04 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings High School - 01 | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| George S. Mickelson Middle School - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Camelot Intermediate - 06 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dakota Prairie Elementary - 07 | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Medary Elementary - 05 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hillcrest Elementary - 04's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 979
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 780
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 523
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 358
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Brookings
3 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 (~316 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillcrest Elementary - 04's federal record.
- Compare Hillcrest Elementary - 04 against another school. Compare schools
- Brookings School District 05-1'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 Hillcrest Elementary - 04
How many students attend Hillcrest Elementary - 04?
Hillcrest Elementary - 04 has 316 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Brookings, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary - 04?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary - 04 is 15.8:1, which is 16% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hillcrest Elementary - 04?
22.0% of students at Hillcrest Elementary - 04 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillcrest Elementary - 04?
The largest demographic group at Hillcrest Elementary - 04 is White at 74.4% of enrollment, in Brookings, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillcrest Elementary - 04?
Hillcrest Elementary - 04 has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Hillcrest Elementary - 04 rank among elementary schools in Brookings?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillcrest Elementary - 04 ranks #3 of 4 elementary schools in Brookings, 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 Brookings on the city page.
Is Hillcrest Elementary - 04 a good school?
Hillcrest Elementary - 04 earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Brookings School District 05-1?
Besides Hillcrest Elementary - 04, Brookings School District 05-1 also operates Brookings High School - 01 (979 students), George S. Mickelson Middle School - 02 (780 students), and Camelot Intermediate - 06 (523 students). See the Brookings School District 05-1 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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.