Enrollment
290
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mitchell, SD
Longfellow Elementary - 05
Federal NCES profile for Longfellow Elementary - 05, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 464839000441
👥 S:T ratio 61
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Longfellow Elementary - 05 earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of South Dakota schools.
- #3 of 6
- elementary schools in Mitchell · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.7:1
- small classes for South Dakota
- 36.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Longfellow Elementary - 05 has class sizes smaller than 81% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Longfellow Elementary - 05 ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Mitchell, SD.
School address
District: Mitchell School District 17-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 464839000441 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.7:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.5%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Longfellow Elementary - 05 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Longfellow Elementary - 05
Longfellow Elementary - 05 is a mid-sized elementary school in Mitchell, South Dakota, enrolling 290 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 9.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 36.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 290 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 33 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #18.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (11%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 580 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Mitchell School District 17-2 spends $10,109 per pupil, 25% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Mitchell's elementary schools, it stands alongside L. B. Williams Elementary - 03 (438 students): Longfellow Elementary - 05 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.7:1 vs 13.3:1).
Mitchell School District 17-2 also operates Mitchell High School - 01 (879 students) and Mitchell Middle School - 02 (578 students) alongside Longfellow Elementary - 05.
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 Longfellow Elementary - 05 compares
Longfellow Elementary - 05 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 | 9.7:1 | ▼ 29% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.5% | ▲ 27% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 290 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.7:1
Leaner classes than 90% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
290
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% 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
9.7:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 19% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
11.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$10,109
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 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 70.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.0%
Two or More 8.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.9%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 70.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.4, Longfellow Elementary - 05 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mitchell School District 17-2, which includes Longfellow Elementary - 05.
$10,109
Per student
-25%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.0%
State 39.1%
Federal 14.8%
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 Longfellow Elementary - 05 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell High School - 01 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mitchell Middle School - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| L. B. Williams Elementary - 03 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary - 04 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rosedale Colony Elementary - 11 | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Longfellow Elementary - 05's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 879
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 578
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 21
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in Mitchell
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
L. B. Williams Elementary - 03
Standard public school
438 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary - 04
Standard public school
379 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Rosedale Colony Elementary - 11
Standard public school
21 students 21:1 students per teacher
Abbott House Elementary - 06
Standard public school
13 students 6.5:1 students per teacher
Millbrook Colony Elementary - 04
Standard public school
6 students 6:1 students per teacher
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 (~290 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Longfellow Elementary - 05's federal record.
- Compare Longfellow Elementary - 05 against another school. Compare schools
- Mitchell School District 17-2'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 Longfellow Elementary - 05
How many students attend Longfellow Elementary - 05?
Longfellow Elementary - 05 has 290 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mitchell, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Longfellow Elementary - 05?
The student-teacher ratio at Longfellow Elementary - 05 is 9.7:1, which is 29% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 38% 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 Longfellow Elementary - 05?
36.5% of students at Longfellow Elementary - 05 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Longfellow Elementary - 05?
The largest demographic group at Longfellow Elementary - 05 is White at 70.7% of enrollment, in Mitchell, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Longfellow Elementary - 05?
Longfellow Elementary - 05 has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Longfellow Elementary - 05 rank among elementary schools in Mitchell?
By Resource Investment Index, Longfellow Elementary - 05 ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Mitchell, 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 Mitchell on the city page.
Is Longfellow Elementary - 05 a good school?
Longfellow Elementary - 05 earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% 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 Mitchell School District 17-2?
Besides Longfellow Elementary - 05, Mitchell School District 17-2 also operates Mitchell High School - 01 (879 students), Mitchell Middle School - 02 (578 students), and L. B. Williams Elementary - 03 (438 students). See the Mitchell School District 17-2 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.