Enrollment
454
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Box Elder, SD
Vandenberg Elementary - 02
Federal NCES profile for Vandenberg Elementary - 02, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 461941000436
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vandenberg Elementary - 02 earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Box Elder · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.7:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 21.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Vandenberg Elementary - 02 has class sizes larger than 75% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vandenberg Elementary - 02 ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Box Elder, SD.
School address
District: Douglas School District 51-1 · South Dakota
NCES ID 461941000436 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.8%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vandenberg Elementary - 02 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vandenberg Elementary - 02
Vandenberg Elementary - 02 is a large elementary school in Box Elder, South Dakota, enrolling 454 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.7:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 21.8% lands close to the South Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 454 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 691 South Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 90 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #86, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Two or More (13%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 454 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 31.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Box Elder's elementary schools, it stands alongside Patriot Elementary -06 (982 students): Vandenberg Elementary - 02 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.7:1 vs 14.7:1).
Douglas School District 51-1 also operates Patriot Elementary -06 (982 students) and Douglas High School - 03 (739 students) alongside Vandenberg Elementary - 02.
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 Vandenberg Elementary - 02 compares
Vandenberg Elementary - 02 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 | 15.7:1 | ▲ 15% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.8% | ▼ 24% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 454 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
454
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 75% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,366
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 454 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 64.8%
Two or More 12.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 9.9%
African American 1.8%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: White at 64.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.4, Vandenberg Elementary - 02 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Douglas School District 51-1, which includes Vandenberg Elementary - 02.
$12,366
Per student
-8%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.1%
State 47.1%
Federal 31.8%
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 Vandenberg Elementary - 02 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patriot Elementary -06 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Douglas High School - 03 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Douglas Middle School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vandenberg Elementary - 02's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 982
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 739
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 633
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Box Elder
1 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 (~454 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vandenberg Elementary - 02's federal record.
- Compare Vandenberg Elementary - 02 against another school. Compare schools
- Douglas School District 51-1'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 Vandenberg Elementary - 02
How many students attend Vandenberg Elementary - 02?
Vandenberg Elementary - 02 has 454 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Box Elder, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vandenberg Elementary - 02?
The student-teacher ratio at Vandenberg Elementary - 02 is 15.7:1, which is 15% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 0% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vandenberg Elementary - 02?
21.8% of students at Vandenberg Elementary - 02 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vandenberg Elementary - 02?
The largest demographic group at Vandenberg Elementary - 02 is White at 64.8% of enrollment, in Box Elder, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vandenberg Elementary - 02?
Vandenberg Elementary - 02 has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Vandenberg Elementary - 02 rank among public schools in Box Elder?
By Resource Investment Index, Vandenberg Elementary - 02 ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Box Elder, 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 Box Elder on the city page.
Is Vandenberg Elementary - 02 a good school?
Vandenberg Elementary - 02 earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 Douglas School District 51-1?
Besides Vandenberg Elementary - 02, Douglas School District 51-1 also operates Patriot Elementary -06 (982 students), Douglas High School - 03 (739 students), and Douglas Middle School - 01 (633 students). See the Douglas School District 51-1 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.