Enrollment
267
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Watertown, SD
Mellette Elementary - 07
Federal NCES profile for Mellette Elementary - 07, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 467662000714
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mellette Elementary - 07 earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of South Dakota schools.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Watertown · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.7:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 25.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Mellette Elementary - 07 has class sizes larger than 82% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mellette Elementary - 07 ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Watertown, SD.
School address
District: Watertown School District 14-4 · South Dakota
NCES ID 467662000714 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
25.9%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mellette Elementary - 07 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mellette Elementary - 07
Mellette Elementary - 07 is a mid-sized elementary school in Watertown, South Dakota, enrolling 267 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.7:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 25.9% lands close to the South Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 267 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 67 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #12.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and Two or More (13%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 334 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Watertown School District 14-4 spends $9,475 per pupil, 30% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Watertown's elementary schools, it stands alongside Watertown Intermediate School - 13 (532 students): Mellette Elementary - 07 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.7:1 vs 13:1).
Watertown School District 14-4 also operates Watertown High School - 01 (1,222 students) and Watertown Middle School - 02 (575 students) alongside Mellette Elementary - 07.
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 Mellette Elementary - 07 compares
Mellette Elementary - 07 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 | 16.7:1 | ▲ 23% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.9% | ▼ 10% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 267 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
267
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
25.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 82% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.1%
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
$9,475
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
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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 71.9%
Two or More 13.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 6.4%
African American 1.1%
Largest group: White at 71.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.6, Mellette Elementary - 07 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Watertown School District 14-4, which includes Mellette Elementary - 07.
$9,475
Per student
-30%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.1%
State 34.2%
Federal 16.7%
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 Mellette Elementary - 07 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Watertown Middle School - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Watertown Intermediate School - 13 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Elementary - 05 | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Elementary - 09 | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mellette Elementary - 07's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,222
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 532
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 333
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar elementary schools in Watertown
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 (~267 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mellette Elementary - 07's federal record.
- Compare Mellette Elementary - 07 against another school. Compare schools
- Watertown School District 14-4'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 Mellette Elementary - 07
How many students attend Mellette Elementary - 07?
Mellette Elementary - 07 has 267 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Watertown, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mellette Elementary - 07?
The student-teacher ratio at Mellette Elementary - 07 is 16.7:1, which is 23% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mellette Elementary - 07?
25.9% of students at Mellette Elementary - 07 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mellette Elementary - 07?
The largest demographic group at Mellette Elementary - 07 is White at 71.9% of enrollment, in Watertown, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mellette Elementary - 07?
Mellette Elementary - 07 has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Mellette Elementary - 07 rank among elementary schools in Watertown?
By Resource Investment Index, Mellette Elementary - 07 ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Watertown, 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 Watertown on the city page.
Is Mellette Elementary - 07 a good school?
Mellette Elementary - 07 earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Watertown School District 14-4?
Besides Mellette Elementary - 07, Watertown School District 14-4 also operates Watertown High School - 01 (1,222 students), Watertown Middle School - 02 (575 students), and Watertown Intermediate School - 13 (532 students). See the Watertown School District 14-4 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.