Enrollment
608
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sioux Falls, SD
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58
Federal NCES profile for Oscar Howe Elementary - 58, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 466627000813
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #15 of 16
- elementary schools in Sioux Falls · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 34.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 has class sizes larger than 91% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 ranks #15 of 16 elementary schools in Sioux Falls, SD.
School address
District: Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · South Dakota
NCES ID 466627000813 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.3%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Oscar Howe Elementary - 58
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 is a large elementary school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, enrolling 608 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.4:1 is larger than about 91% of South Dakota schools and 35% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 34.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 94% of state schools at 608 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 38 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #17.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 608 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Sioux Falls School District 49-5 spends $10,788 per pupil, 20% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Sioux Falls's elementary schools, it stands alongside John F. Kennedy Elementary - 57 (661 students): Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.4:1 vs 17.4:1).
Sioux Falls School District 49-5 also operates Lincoln High School - 02 (1,954 students) and Jefferson High School - 67 (1,888 students) alongside Oscar Howe Elementary - 58.
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 Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 compares
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 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 | 18.4:1 | ▲ 35% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.3% | ▲ 19% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 608 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
608
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 91% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.0%
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
$10,788
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 608 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
34
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.7 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 60.2%
Hispanic or Latino 16.4%
African American 10.5%
Two or More 6.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.6%
Asian 1.2%
Largest group: White at 60.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sioux Falls School District 49-5, which includes Oscar Howe Elementary - 58.
$10,788
Per student
-20%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.1%
State 33.1%
Federal 18.9%
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 Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School - 02 | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jefferson High School - 67 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School - 03 | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Memorial Middle School - 04 | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Oscar Howe Elementary - 58's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,954
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,888
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,819
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,785
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,133
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Sioux Falls
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
John F. Kennedy Elementary - 57
Standard public school
661 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Rosa Parks Elementary - 15
Standard public school
618 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Fred Assam Elementary - 06
Standard public school
531 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Laura Wilder Elementary - 31
Standard public school
447 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Eugene Field a+ Elementary - 16
Standard public school
444 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Adventure Elementary - 10
Standard public school
440 students 18.3:1 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 (~608 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Oscar Howe Elementary - 58's federal record.
- Compare Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 against another school. Compare schools
- Sioux Falls School District 49-5'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 Oscar Howe Elementary - 58
How many students attend Oscar Howe Elementary - 58?
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 has 608 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Oscar Howe Elementary - 58?
The student-teacher ratio at Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 is 18.4:1, which is 35% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Oscar Howe Elementary - 58?
34.3% of students at Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Oscar Howe Elementary - 58?
The largest demographic group at Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 is White at 60.2% of enrollment, in Sioux Falls, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Oscar Howe Elementary - 58?
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 rank among elementary schools in Sioux Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 ranks #15 of 16 elementary schools in Sioux Falls, 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 Sioux Falls on the city page.
Is Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 a good school?
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% 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 Sioux Falls School District 49-5?
Besides Oscar Howe Elementary - 58, Sioux Falls School District 49-5 also operates Lincoln High School - 02 (1,954 students), Jefferson High School - 67 (1,888 students), and Washington High School - 01 (1,819 students). See the Sioux Falls School District 49-5 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Compare schools
Side-by-side comparison tool
Schools in South Dakota
All public schools in South Dakota
Sioux Falls School District 49-5
All schools in this district
Schools in Sioux Falls
All schools in this city
School districts
Ranked by enrollment & spending
Rankings
Best schools by state & type
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.