Enrollment
168
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Spearfish, SD
Mountain View Elementary - 08
Federal NCES profile for Mountain View Elementary - 08, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 466693001342
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 78
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mountain View Elementary - 08 earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Spearfish · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12:1
- students per teacher
- 8.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Mountain View Elementary - 08 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mountain View Elementary - 08 ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Spearfish, SD.
School address
District: Spearfish School District 40-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 466693001342 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
8.3%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mountain View Elementary - 08 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mountain View Elementary - 08
Mountain View Elementary - 08 is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Spearfish, South Dakota, enrolling 168 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 8.3% free-meal eligibility runs 71% below the South Dakota average.
Enrollment of 168 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 107 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #52.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (9%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 336 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Spearfish School District 40-2 spends $9,880 per pupil, 27% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Spearfish's elementary schools, it stands alongside Creekside Elementary - 07 (553 students): Mountain View Elementary - 08 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12:1 vs 15.4:1).
Spearfish School District 40-2 also operates Spearfish High School - 01 (787 students) and Creekside Elementary - 07 (553 students) alongside Mountain View 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 Mountain View Elementary - 08 compares
Mountain View 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 | 12:1 | ▼ 12% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 8.3% | ▼ 71% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 168 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
168
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
8.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% below the South Dakota average of 28.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 37% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
8.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$9,880
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
13
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.9 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 79.2%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
Two or More 8.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.0%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: White at 79.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.7, Mountain View Elementary - 08 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Spearfish School District 40-2, which includes Mountain View Elementary - 08.
$9,880
Per student
-27%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.5%
State 31.6%
Federal 11.9%
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 Mountain View Elementary - 08 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spearfish High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Creekside Elementary - 07 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spearfish Middle School - 05 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Elementary - 03 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spearfish Academy at Canyon Hills High School - 10 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mountain View Elementary - 08's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 787
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 553
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 545
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 322
- Students per teacher
- 10.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 21
- Students per teacher
- 7:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar elementary schools in Spearfish
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 (~168 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mountain View Elementary - 08's federal record.
- Compare Mountain View Elementary - 08 against another school. Compare schools
- Spearfish School District 40-2'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 Mountain View Elementary - 08
How many students attend Mountain View Elementary - 08?
Mountain View Elementary - 08 has 168 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Spearfish, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mountain View Elementary - 08?
The student-teacher ratio at Mountain View Elementary - 08 is 12:1, which is 12% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 24% 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 Mountain View Elementary - 08?
8.3% of students at Mountain View Elementary - 08 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mountain View Elementary - 08?
The largest demographic group at Mountain View Elementary - 08 is White at 79.2% of enrollment, in Spearfish, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mountain View Elementary - 08?
Mountain View Elementary - 08 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 Mountain View Elementary - 08 rank among elementary schools in Spearfish?
By Resource Investment Index, Mountain View Elementary - 08 ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Spearfish, 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 Spearfish on the city page.
Is Mountain View Elementary - 08 a good school?
Mountain View Elementary - 08 earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. 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 Spearfish School District 40-2?
Besides Mountain View Elementary - 08, Spearfish School District 40-2 also operates Spearfish High School - 01 (787 students), Creekside Elementary - 07 (553 students), and Spearfish Middle School - 05 (545 students). See the Spearfish School District 40-2 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.