Enrollment
413
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Pierre, SD
Kennedy Elementary - 08
Federal NCES profile for Kennedy Elementary - 08, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 465526001353
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kennedy Elementary - 08 earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Pierre · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.9:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 28.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Kennedy Elementary - 08 has class sizes larger than 77% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kennedy Elementary - 08 ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Pierre, SD.
School address
District: Pierre School District 32-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465526001353 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.6%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kennedy Elementary - 08 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kennedy Elementary - 08
Kennedy Elementary - 08 is a large elementary school in Pierre, South Dakota, enrolling 413 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 28.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 413 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 691 South Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 64 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #60, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 413 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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): Kennedy Elementary - 08 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.9:1 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 Kennedy Elementary - 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 Kennedy Elementary - 08 compares
Kennedy Elementary - 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 | 15.9:1 | ▲ 17% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.6% | ▼ 1% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 413 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
413
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% 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
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 77% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.3%
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 413 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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 61.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 20.1%
Two or More 12.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.8%
Asian 0.5%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: White at 61.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.3, Kennedy Elementary - 08 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 Kennedy Elementary - 08.
$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 Kennedy Elementary - 08 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Buchanan Elementary - 03 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Elementary - 06 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kennedy Elementary - 08'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
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 (~413 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kennedy Elementary - 08's federal record.
- Compare Kennedy Elementary - 08 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 Kennedy Elementary - 08
How many students attend Kennedy Elementary - 08?
Kennedy Elementary - 08 has 413 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Pierre, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kennedy Elementary - 08?
The student-teacher ratio at Kennedy Elementary - 08 is 15.9:1, which is 17% 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 Kennedy Elementary - 08?
28.6% of students at Kennedy Elementary - 08 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kennedy Elementary - 08?
The largest demographic group at Kennedy Elementary - 08 is White at 61.5% of enrollment, in Pierre, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kennedy Elementary - 08?
Kennedy Elementary - 08 has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Kennedy Elementary - 08 rank among elementary schools in Pierre?
By Resource Investment Index, Kennedy Elementary - 08 ranks #3 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 Kennedy Elementary - 08 a good school?
Kennedy Elementary - 08 earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of South Dakota schools. 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 Kennedy Elementary - 08, 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.