Enrollment
380
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sisseton, SD
Westside Elementary - 03
Federal NCES profile for Westside Elementary - 03, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 460005301241
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Westside Elementary - 03 earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Sisseton · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.1:1
- students per teacher
- 53.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Westside Elementary - 03 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Westside Elementary - 03 ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Sisseton, SD.
School address
District: Sisseton School District 54-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460005301241 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.9%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+87% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Westside Elementary - 03 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Westside Elementary - 03
Westside Elementary - 03 is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Sisseton, South Dakota, enrolling 380 students.
At 13.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Dakota median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 53.9% of students qualify for free meals, 87% above the South Dakota average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 380 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 691 South Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 16 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #15, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by American Indian / Alaska Native (52%) and White (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 380 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 40.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 124 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 380 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Sisseton School District 54-2 also operates Sisseton High School - 01 (304 students) and Sisseton Middle School - 02 (281 students) alongside Westside Elementary - 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 Westside Elementary - 03 compares
Westside Elementary - 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 4% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.9% | ▲ 87% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 380 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
380
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 87% above the South Dakota average of 28.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 47% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
40.8%
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
$12,465
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 380 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
91
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 23.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 32.6 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
American Indian / Alaska Native 52.1%
White 18.4%
Two or More 16.1%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: American Indian / Alaska Native at 52.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.3, Westside Elementary - 03 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sisseton School District 54-2, which includes Westside Elementary - 03.
$12,465
Per student
-8%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.2%
State 20.7%
Federal 40.2%
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 Westside Elementary - 03 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sisseton High School - 01 | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sisseton Middle School - 02 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Westside Elementary - 03's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 304
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 281
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other 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 (~380 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Westside Elementary - 03's federal record.
- Compare Westside Elementary - 03 against another school. Compare schools
- Sisseton School District 54-2'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 Westside Elementary - 03
How many students attend Westside Elementary - 03?
Westside Elementary - 03 has 380 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sisseton, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Westside Elementary - 03?
The student-teacher ratio at Westside Elementary - 03 is 13.1:1, which is 4% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 17% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Westside Elementary - 03?
53.9% of students at Westside Elementary - 03 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Westside Elementary - 03?
The largest demographic group at Westside Elementary - 03 is American Indian / Alaska Native at 52.1% of enrollment, in Sisseton, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Westside Elementary - 03?
Westside Elementary - 03 has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Westside Elementary - 03 rank among public schools in Sisseton?
By Resource Investment Index, Westside Elementary - 03 ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Sisseton, 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 Sisseton on the city page.
Is Westside Elementary - 03 a good school?
Westside Elementary - 03 earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. 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 Sisseton School District 54-2?
Besides Westside Elementary - 03, Sisseton School District 54-2 also operates Sisseton High School - 01 (304 students) and Sisseton Middle School - 02 (281 students). See the Sisseton School District 54-2 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.