Enrollment
717
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Tea, SD
Tea Area High School - 03
Federal NCES profile for Tea Area High School - 03, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 460005201235
👥 S:T ratio 16
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tea Area High School - 03 earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Tea · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 5.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Tea Area High School - 03 has class sizes larger than 96% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tea Area High School - 03 ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Tea, SD.
School address
District: Tea Area School District 41-5 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460005201235 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+55% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.1%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-82% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tea Area High School - 03 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tea Area High School - 03
Tea Area High School - 03 is a lower-poverty, large high school in Tea, South Dakota, enrolling 717 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.1:1 is larger than about 96% of South Dakota schools and 55% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.1% free-meal eligibility runs 82% below the South Dakota average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 96% of state schools at 717 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Among 42 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #32, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 26/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 359 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.8% 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.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 9 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Tea Area School District 41-5 also operates Tea Area Middle School - 02 (583 students) and Tea Area Legacy Elementary - 01 (538 students) alongside Tea Area High School - 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 Tea Area High School - 03 compares
Tea Area High School - 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 | 21.1:1 | ▲ 55% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.1% | ▼ 82% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 717 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
717
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 82% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 55% above state mean
Top 96% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
13.8%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 359 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
67
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 9 expulsions.
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 85.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%
Two or More 3.9%
African American 3.5%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 85.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.4, Tea Area High School - 03 is about as mixed as the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tea Area School District 41-5, which includes Tea Area High School - 03.
$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 High School - 03 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tea Area Middle School - 02 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tea Area Legacy Elementary - 01 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tea Area Venture Elementary - 06 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tea Area Preschool - 07 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tea Area High School - 03's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- 292
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 73
- Students per teacher
- 73:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar high 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 (~717 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tea Area High School - 03's federal record.
- Compare Tea Area High School - 03 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 High School - 03
How many students attend Tea Area High School - 03?
Tea Area High School - 03 has 717 students enrolled. It is a high school in Tea, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tea Area High School - 03?
The student-teacher ratio at Tea Area High School - 03 is 21.1:1, which is 55% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tea Area High School - 03?
5.1% of students at Tea Area High School - 03 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tea Area High School - 03?
The largest demographic group at Tea Area High School - 03 is White at 85.5% of enrollment, in Tea, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tea Area High School - 03?
Tea Area High School - 03 has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Tea Area High School - 03 rank among public schools in Tea?
By Resource Investment Index, Tea Area High School - 03 ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Tea, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Tea on the city page.
Is Tea Area High School - 03 a good school?
Tea Area High School - 03 earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota. 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 High School - 03, Tea Area School District 41-5 also operates Tea Area Middle School - 02 (583 students), Tea Area Legacy Elementary - 01 (538 students), and Tea Area Venture Elementary - 06 (379 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.