Enrollment
666
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sioux Falls, SD
John Harris Elementary - 23
Federal NCES profile for John Harris Elementary - 23, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 466627001064
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 91
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Harris Elementary - 23 earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota.
- #10 of 22
- schools in Sioux Falls · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 11.9%
- free-lunch eligible
John Harris Elementary - 23 has class sizes larger than 86% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Harris Elementary - 23 ranks #10 of 22 schools in Sioux Falls, SD.
School address
District: Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · South Dakota
NCES ID 466627001064 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.9%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Harris Elementary - 23 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Harris Elementary - 23
John Harris Elementary - 23 is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, enrolling 666 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.1:1 is larger than about 86% of South Dakota schools and 26% 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 11.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 95% of state schools at 666 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 58 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #11.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Two or More (8%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 666 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
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): John Harris Elementary - 23 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.1:1 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 John Harris Elementary - 23.
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 John Harris Elementary - 23 compares
John Harris Elementary - 23 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 | 17.1:1 | ▲ 26% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.9% | ▼ 59% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 666 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
666
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 86% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
3.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 666 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.8 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 79.3%
Two or More 8.1%
African American 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Asian 1.2%
Largest group: White at 79.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.9, John Harris Elementary - 23 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 John Harris Elementary - 23.
$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 John Harris Elementary - 23 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jefferson High School - 67 | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington High School - 01 | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School - 03 | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Memorial Middle School - 04 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Harris Elementary - 23'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
Anne Sullivan Elementary - 20
Standard public school
632 students 15.8:1 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 (~666 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Harris Elementary - 23's federal record.
- Compare John Harris Elementary - 23 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 John Harris Elementary - 23
How many students attend John Harris Elementary - 23?
John Harris Elementary - 23 has 666 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Harris Elementary - 23?
The student-teacher ratio at John Harris Elementary - 23 is 17.1:1, which is 26% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Harris Elementary - 23?
11.9% of students at John Harris Elementary - 23 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Harris Elementary - 23?
The largest demographic group at John Harris Elementary - 23 is White at 79.3% of enrollment, in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Harris Elementary - 23?
John Harris Elementary - 23 has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 John Harris Elementary - 23 rank among schools in Sioux Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, John Harris Elementary - 23 ranks #10 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 John Harris Elementary - 23 a good school?
John Harris Elementary - 23 earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota. 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 John Harris Elementary - 23, 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.