- Enrollment
- 91
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mellette, SD
Northwestern Elementary - 04
Federal NCES profile for Northwestern Elementary - 04, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 465175000820
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 89
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwestern Elementary - 04 earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of South Dakota schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Mellette · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.9:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 7.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwestern Elementary - 04 has class sizes larger than 83% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern Elementary - 04 ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Mellette, SD.
School address
District: Northwestern Area School District 56-7 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465175000820 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+5 students YoY
Northwestern Elementary - 04 held near 124 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+5 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 8.7 → 10.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+5 students YoY 465175000820 · Mellette, SD Other · SMALL · TRAD
135 enr · 16.9:1 · 7.6% lunch · RII 49
Nearest enrollment peer: Northwestern High School - 01 (91 students)
Northwestern Elementary - 04 held near 124 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+5 headcount). Teacher FTE added 8.7 → 10.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Dakota schools → · Find another →
Northwestern Elementary - 04 in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Northwestern Elementary - 04
135 students
- Northwestern H
Northwestern High School - 01
91 students
- Isucceed - 92
Isucceed - 92
82 students
- Northwestern M
Northwestern Middle School - 02
56 students
- Hutterville Co 16
Hutterville Colony Elementary - 06
16 students
What this shows Northwestern Elementary - 04 reports 135 students on the CCD universe file.
How Northwestern Elementary - 04 compares
Northwestern Elementary - 04 held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs South Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Dakota | South Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.9:1 | ▲ 24% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.6% | ▼ 74% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 135 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
135
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
7.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 83% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
4.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$12,473
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Dakota avg of $13,985
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
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 89.6%
Two or More 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%
African American 0.7%
Largest group: White at 89.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.2, Northwestern Elementary - 04 is less mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
District finance for Northwestern Area School District 56-7 reports $12,473 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Northwestern Elementary - 04 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern High School - 01 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Isucceed - 92 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwestern Middle School - 02 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hutterville Colony Elementary - 06 | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwestern Elementary - 04's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 82
- Students per teacher
- 82:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 56
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 16
- Students per teacher
- 8:1
- Resource Index
- 68/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~135 students)
Frequently asked questions about Northwestern Elementary - 04
How many students attend Northwestern Elementary - 04?
Northwestern Elementary - 04 has 135 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mellette, SD. CCD year-over-year: 119 (2022-23) → 124 (2023-24), nearly flat (+5).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwestern Elementary - 04?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwestern Elementary - 04 is 16.9:1, which is 24% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwestern Elementary - 04?
7.6% of students at Northwestern Elementary - 04 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwestern Elementary - 04?
The largest demographic group at Northwestern Elementary - 04 is White at 89.6% of enrollment, in Mellette, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwestern Elementary - 04?
Northwestern Elementary - 04 has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Northwestern Elementary - 04 rank among public schools in Mellette?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern Elementary - 04 ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Mellette, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Northwestern Area School District 56-7?
Besides Northwestern Elementary - 04, Northwestern Area School District 56-7 also operates Northwestern High School - 01 (91 students), Isucceed - 92 (82 students), and Northwestern Middle School - 02 (56 students). See the Northwestern Area School District 56-7 district page for the complete list.