Enrollment
377
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pierre, SD
Jefferson Elementary - 06
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elementary - 06, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 465526000495
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elementary - 06 earns 35/100 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.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Pierre · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.5:1
- students per teacher
- 30.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson Elementary - 06 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary - 06 ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Pierre, SD.
School address
District: Pierre School District 32-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465526000495 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.5%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson Elementary - 06 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson Elementary - 06
Jefferson Elementary - 06 is a mid-sized elementary school in Pierre, South Dakota, enrolling 377 students.
At 13.5:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 30.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 377 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.
Among 61 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #45, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 377 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Pierre School District 32-2 spends $9,982 per pupil, 26% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Pierre's elementary schools, it stands alongside Buchanan Elementary - 03 (432 students): Jefferson Elementary - 06 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 vs 16:1).
Pierre School District 32-2 also operates T F Riggs High School - 01 (855 students) and Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 (672 students) alongside Jefferson Elementary - 06.
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 Jefferson Elementary - 06 compares
Jefferson Elementary - 06 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 1% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.5% | ▲ 6% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 377 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
377
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% above 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 52% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.1%
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
$9,982
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 377 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 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 63.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 17.0%
Two or More 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 63.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.7, Jefferson Elementary - 06 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pierre School District 32-2, which includes Jefferson Elementary - 06.
$9,982
Per student
-26%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.0%
State 40.7%
Federal 16.3%
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 Jefferson Elementary - 06 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| T F Riggs High School - 01 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Buchanan Elementary - 03 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kennedy Elementary - 08 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jefferson Elementary - 06's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 672
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 432
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Pierre
2 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 (~377 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elementary - 06's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elementary - 06 against another school. Compare schools
- Pierre School District 32-2'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 Jefferson Elementary - 06
How many students attend Jefferson Elementary - 06?
Jefferson Elementary - 06 has 377 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pierre, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary - 06?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary - 06 is 13.5:1, which is 1% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 14% 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 Jefferson Elementary - 06?
30.5% of students at Jefferson Elementary - 06 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson Elementary - 06?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson Elementary - 06 is White at 63.7% of enrollment, in Pierre, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elementary - 06?
Jefferson Elementary - 06 has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Jefferson Elementary - 06 rank among elementary schools in Pierre?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary - 06 ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Pierre, 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 Pierre on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elementary - 06 a good school?
Jefferson Elementary - 06 earns 35/100 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 Pierre School District 32-2?
Besides Jefferson Elementary - 06, Pierre School District 32-2 also operates T F Riggs High School - 01 (855 students), Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 (672 students), and Buchanan Elementary - 03 (432 students). See the Pierre School District 32-2 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.