Enrollment
292
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sioux Falls, SD
Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05
Federal NCES profile for Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 460005201358
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 71
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #16 of 16
- elementary schools in Sioux Falls · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 19.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 has class sizes larger than 86% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 ranks #16 of 16 elementary schools in Sioux Falls, SD.
School address
District: Tea Area School District 41-5 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460005201358 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.9%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05
Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, enrolling 292 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.2:1 is larger than about 86% of South Dakota schools and 26% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 19.9% lands close to the South Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 292 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Among 95 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #84, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 584 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Tea Area School District 41-5 spends $8,726 per pupil, 35% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Sioux Falls's elementary schools, it stands alongside John F. Kennedy Elementary - 57 (661 students): Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.2:1 vs 17.4:1).
Tea Area School District 41-5 also operates Tea Area High School - 03 (717 students) and Tea Area Middle School - 02 (583 students) alongside Tea Area Frontier 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 Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 compares
Tea Area Frontier 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 26% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.9% | ▼ 31% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 292 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
292
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 86% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
11.6%
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
$8,726
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 54.1%
Hispanic or Latino 19.5%
African American 13.4%
Two or More 7.2%
Asian 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
Largest group: White at 54.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.4, Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tea Area School District 41-5, which includes Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05.
$8,726
Per student
-35%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-47%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.3%
State 50.0%
Federal 10.8%
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 Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tea Area High School - 03 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tea Area Middle School - 02 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tea Area Legacy Elementary - 01 | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tea Area Venture Elementary - 06 | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tea Area Preschool - 07 | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 717
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 538
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 73
- Students per teacher
- 73:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
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
Oscar Howe Elementary - 58
Standard public school
608 students 18.4:1 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
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 (~292 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05's federal record.
- Compare Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 against another school. Compare schools
- Tea Area School District 41-5'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 Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05
How many students attend Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05?
Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 has 292 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05?
The student-teacher ratio at Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 is 17.2:1, which is 26% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05?
19.9% of students at Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05?
The largest demographic group at Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 is White at 54.1% of enrollment, in Sioux Falls, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05?
Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 rank among elementary schools in Sioux Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 ranks #16 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 Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 a good school?
Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% 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 Tea Area School District 41-5?
Besides Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05, Tea Area School District 41-5 also operates Tea Area High School - 03 (717 students), Tea Area Middle School - 02 (583 students), and Tea Area Legacy Elementary - 01 (538 students). See the Tea Area School District 41-5 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.