Enrollment
368
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hartford, SD
West Central Hartford Elementary - 05
Federal NCES profile for West Central Hartford Elementary - 05, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 463171000777
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 94
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of South Dakota schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Hartford · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 6.4%
- free-lunch eligible
West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 has class sizes larger than 87% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Hartford, SD.
School address
District: West Central School District 49-7 · South Dakota
NCES ID 463171000777 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
6.4%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-78% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Central Hartford Elementary - 05
West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Hartford, South Dakota, enrolling 368 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.5:1 is larger than about 87% of South Dakota schools and 29% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 6.4% free-meal eligibility runs 78% below the South Dakota average.
Enrollment of 368 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 67 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #35.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment) (diversity index 16/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 368 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 2.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding West Central School District 49-7 spends $9,843 per pupil, 27% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
West Central School District 49-7 also operates West Central High School - 01 (408 students) and West Central Humboldt Elementary - 02 (310 students) alongside West Central Hartford 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 West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 compares
West Central Hartford 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 | 17.5:1 | ▲ 29% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 6.4% | ▼ 78% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 368 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
368
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
6.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 78% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 87% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
2.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$9,843
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 368 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 91.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%
Two or More 2.4%
African American 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 91.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.9, West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 is less mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Central School District 49-7, which includes West Central Hartford Elementary - 05.
$9,843
Per student
-27%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.4%
State 39.1%
Federal 12.5%
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 West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Central High School - 01 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Central Humboldt Elementary - 02 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Central Middle School - 04 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Falls Academy - 08 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brighten Transition Youth Treatment Center - 07 | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Central Hartford Elementary - 05's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 310
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 297
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 29
- Students per teacher
- 29:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 6
- Students per teacher
- 3:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
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 (~368 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Central Hartford Elementary - 05's federal record.
- Compare West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 against another school. Compare schools
- West Central School District 49-7'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 West Central Hartford Elementary - 05
How many students attend West Central Hartford Elementary - 05?
West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 has 368 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hartford, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Central Hartford Elementary - 05?
The student-teacher ratio at West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 is 17.5:1, which is 29% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Central Hartford Elementary - 05?
6.4% of students at West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Central Hartford Elementary - 05?
The largest demographic group at West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 is White at 91.6% of enrollment, in Hartford, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Central Hartford Elementary - 05?
West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 rank among public schools in Hartford?
By Resource Investment Index, West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Hartford, 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 Hartford on the city page.
Is West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 a good school?
West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 West Central School District 49-7?
Besides West Central Hartford Elementary - 05, West Central School District 49-7 also operates West Central High School - 01 (408 students), West Central Humboldt Elementary - 02 (310 students), and West Central Middle School - 04 (297 students). See the West Central School District 49-7 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.