Enrollment
447
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sioux Falls, SD
Robert Frost Elementary - 18
Federal NCES profile for Robert Frost Elementary - 18, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 466627000607
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Robert Frost Elementary - 18 earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #17 of 22
- schools in Sioux Falls · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.4:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 28.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Robert Frost Elementary - 18 has class sizes larger than 93% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Robert Frost Elementary - 18 ranks #17 of 22 schools in Sioux Falls, SD.
School address
District: Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · South Dakota
NCES ID 466627000607 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.4:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+43% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.3%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Robert Frost Elementary - 18 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Robert Frost Elementary - 18
Robert Frost Elementary - 18 is a large combined-grade school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, enrolling 447 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.4:1 is larger than about 93% of South Dakota schools and 43% 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 28.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 447 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 71 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #23.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and African American (8%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 559 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
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 public schools, it stands alongside Discovery Elementary - 26 (873 students): Robert Frost Elementary - 18 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.4:1 vs 17.8:1).
Sioux Falls School District 49-5 also operates Lincoln High School - 02 (1,954 students) and Jefferson High School - 67 (1,888 students) alongside Robert Frost Elementary - 18.
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 Frost Elementary - 18 compares
Robert Frost Elementary - 18 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 | 19.4:1 | ▲ 43% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.3% | ▼ 2% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 447 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
447
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 43% above state mean
Top 93% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
8.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 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 70.9%
African American 8.3%
Two or More 8.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.7%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 70.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.6, Robert Frost Elementary - 18 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 Robert Frost Elementary - 18.
$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 Robert Frost Elementary - 18 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School - 02 | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jefferson High School - 67 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Washington High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School - 03 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Memorial Middle School - 04 | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Robert Frost Elementary - 18'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 other schools in Sioux Falls
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Discovery Elementary - 26
Standard public school
873 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Rf Pettigrew Elementary - 17
Standard public school
846 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Hayward Elementary - 38
Standard public school
728 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Sonia Sotomayor Elementary - 65
Standard public school
690 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Harvey Dunn Elementary - 54
Standard public school
681 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
John Harris Elementary - 23
Standard public school
666 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~447 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Robert Frost Elementary - 18's federal record.
- Compare Robert Frost Elementary - 18 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 Robert Frost Elementary - 18
How many students attend Robert Frost Elementary - 18?
Robert Frost Elementary - 18 has 447 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Robert Frost Elementary - 18?
The student-teacher ratio at Robert Frost Elementary - 18 is 19.4:1, which is 43% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Robert Frost Elementary - 18?
28.3% of students at Robert Frost Elementary - 18 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Robert Frost Elementary - 18?
The largest demographic group at Robert Frost Elementary - 18 is White at 70.9% of enrollment, in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Robert Frost Elementary - 18?
Robert Frost Elementary - 18 has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Robert Frost Elementary - 18 rank among schools in Sioux Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Robert Frost Elementary - 18 ranks #17 of 22 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 schools in Sioux Falls on the city page.
Is Robert Frost Elementary - 18 a good school?
Robert Frost Elementary - 18 earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Robert Frost Elementary - 18, 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.
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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.