Enrollment
347
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Belle Fourche, SD
South Park Elementary - 03
Federal NCES profile for South Park Elementary - 03, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 460561000269
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Park Elementary - 03 earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of South Dakota schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Belle Fourche · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- small classes for South Dakota
- 31.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Park Elementary - 03 has class sizes smaller than 74% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Park Elementary - 03 ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Belle Fourche, SD.
School address
District: Belle Fourche School District 09-1 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460561000269 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.8:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.2%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Park Elementary - 03 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Park Elementary - 03
South Park Elementary - 03 is a mid-sized elementary school in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, enrolling 347 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 31.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 347 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 54 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #18.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 347 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
16.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Belle Fourche School District 09-1 spends $10,486 per pupil, 22% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 20.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Belle Fourche's elementary schools, it stands alongside Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 (414 students): South Park Elementary - 03 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.8:1 vs 12.2:1).
Belle Fourche School District 09-1 also operates Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 (414 students) and Belle Fourche High School - 01 (389 students) alongside South Park Elementary - 03.
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 South Park Elementary - 03 compares
South Park Elementary - 03 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 | 10.8:1 | ▼ 21% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.2% | ▲ 8% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 347 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
347
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 26% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
16.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,486
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 347 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 83.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
Two or More 5.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.3%
Largest group: White at 83.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.9, South Park Elementary - 03 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Belle Fourche School District 09-1, which includes South Park Elementary - 03.
$10,486
Per student
-22%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.6%
State 41.5%
Federal 20.0%
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 South Park Elementary - 03 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Belle Fourche High School - 01 | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Park Elementary - 08 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Park Elementary - 03's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 414
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 389
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 89
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 57
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Belle Fourche
2 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 (~347 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Park Elementary - 03's federal record.
- Compare South Park Elementary - 03 against another school. Compare schools
- Belle Fourche School District 09-1'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 South Park Elementary - 03
How many students attend South Park Elementary - 03?
South Park Elementary - 03 has 347 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Belle Fourche, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Park Elementary - 03?
The student-teacher ratio at South Park Elementary - 03 is 10.8:1, which is 21% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 31% 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 South Park Elementary - 03?
31.2% of students at South Park Elementary - 03 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Park Elementary - 03?
The largest demographic group at South Park Elementary - 03 is White at 83.0% of enrollment, in Belle Fourche, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Park Elementary - 03?
South Park Elementary - 03 has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 South Park Elementary - 03 rank among elementary schools in Belle Fourche?
By Resource Investment Index, South Park Elementary - 03 ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Belle Fourche, 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 Belle Fourche on the city page.
Is South Park Elementary - 03 a good school?
South Park Elementary - 03 earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% 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 Belle Fourche School District 09-1?
Besides South Park Elementary - 03, Belle Fourche School District 09-1 also operates Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 (414 students), Belle Fourche High School - 01 (389 students), and North Park Elementary - 08 (89 students). See the Belle Fourche School District 09-1 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
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
All schools in this district
Schools in Belle Fourche
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.