Enrollment
269
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Devils Lake, ND
Sweetwater Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sweetwater Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 380504000130
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sweetwater Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of North Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North Dakota schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Devils Lake · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.2:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 37.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Sweetwater Elementary School has class sizes larger than 76% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sweetwater Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Devils Lake, ND.
School address
District: Devils Lake 1 · North Dakota
NCES ID 380504000130 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.7%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sweetwater Elementary School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sweetwater Elementary School
Sweetwater Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Devils Lake, North Dakota, enrolling 269 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.2:1 puts it in the larger third of North Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 37.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 269 puts it in the larger third of North Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 38 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #26.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 269 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
17.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Devils Lake 1 spends $14,540 per pupil, 21% below the North Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Devils Lake's elementary schools, it stands alongside Central Middle School (536 students): Sweetwater Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.2:1 vs 12.5:1).
Devils Lake 1 also operates Devils Lake High School (552 students) and Central Middle School (536 students) alongside Sweetwater Elementary School.
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 Sweetwater Elementary School compares
Sweetwater Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against North Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Dakota | North Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▲ 20% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.7% | ▲ 34% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 269 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
269
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% above the North Dakota average of 28.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 76% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,540
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $18,450
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 269 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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.
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 61.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 32.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.1%
African American 1.5%
Two or More 0.4%
Largest group: White at 61.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.5, Sweetwater Elementary School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Devils Lake 1, which includes Sweetwater Elementary School.
$14,540
Per student
-21%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.6%
State 60.7%
Federal 9.7%
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 Sweetwater Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devils Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Prairie View Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Minnie H Kindergarten Center | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sweetwater Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 552
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 262
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 167
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in Devils Lake
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 North Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~269 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sweetwater Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sweetwater Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Devils Lake 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 Sweetwater Elementary School
How many students attend Sweetwater Elementary School?
Sweetwater Elementary School has 269 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Devils Lake, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sweetwater Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sweetwater Elementary School is 14.2:1, which is 20% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sweetwater Elementary School?
37.7% of students at Sweetwater Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sweetwater Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sweetwater Elementary School is White at 61.3% of enrollment, in Devils Lake, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sweetwater Elementary School?
Sweetwater Elementary School 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 Sweetwater Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Devils Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Sweetwater Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Devils Lake, ND. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Devils Lake on the city page.
Is Sweetwater Elementary School a good school?
Sweetwater Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of North Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North 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 Devils Lake 1?
Besides Sweetwater Elementary School, Devils Lake 1 also operates Devils Lake High School (552 students), Central Middle School (536 students), and Prairie View Elementary School (262 students). See the Devils Lake 1 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.