Enrollment
542
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Brandon, SD
Robert Bennis Elementary - 05
Federal NCES profile for Robert Bennis Elementary - 05, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 460795001237
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 92
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of South Dakota schools.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Brandon · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.9:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 5.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 has class sizes larger than 83% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Brandon, SD.
School address
District: Brandon Valley School District 49-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460795001237 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.9%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-80% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Robert Bennis Elementary - 05
Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 is a lower-poverty, large elementary school in Brandon, South Dakota, enrolling 542 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.9% free-meal eligibility runs 80% below the South Dakota average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 92% of state schools at 542 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Among 54 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #5, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Brandon Valley School District 49-2 spends $9,822 per pupil, 27% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Brandon's elementary schools, it stands alongside Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 (829 students): Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.9:1 vs 18.8:1).
Brandon Valley School District 49-2 also operates Brandon Valley High School - 01 (1,381 students) and Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 (829 students) alongside Robert Bennis 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 Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 compares
Robert Bennis 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 24% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.9% | ▼ 80% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 542 | top 8% | - | - |
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.
542
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 80% 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
3.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$9,822
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 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 86.7%
Two or More 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
African American 1.3%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: White at 86.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.3, Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 is less mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Brandon Valley School District 49-2, which includes Robert Bennis Elementary - 05.
$9,822
Per student
-27%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.9%
State 41.0%
Federal 13.1%
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 Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Valley High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brandon Elementary - 03 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fred Assam Elementary - 06 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Robert Bennis Elementary - 05's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,381
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 829
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 759
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 728
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 531
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar elementary schools in Brandon
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 (~542 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Robert Bennis Elementary - 05's federal record.
- Compare Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 against another school. Compare schools
- Brandon Valley School District 49-2'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 Robert Bennis Elementary - 05
How many students attend Robert Bennis Elementary - 05?
Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 has 542 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Brandon, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Robert Bennis Elementary - 05?
The student-teacher ratio at Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 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 Robert Bennis Elementary - 05?
5.9% of students at Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Robert Bennis Elementary - 05?
The largest demographic group at Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 is White at 86.7% of enrollment, in Brandon, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Robert Bennis Elementary - 05?
Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 rank among elementary schools in Brandon?
By Resource Investment Index, Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Brandon, 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 Brandon on the city page.
Is Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 a good school?
Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Brandon Valley School District 49-2?
Besides Robert Bennis Elementary - 05, Brandon Valley School District 49-2 also operates Brandon Valley High School - 01 (1,381 students), Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 (829 students), and Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 (759 students). See the Brandon Valley School District 49-2 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.