Enrollment
328
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Rapid City, SD
Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17
Federal NCES profile for Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 465982000530
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #6 of 10
- elementary schools in Rapid City · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 32.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 has class sizes larger than 80% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 ranks #6 of 10 elementary schools in Rapid City, SD.
School address
District: Rapid City Area School District 51-4 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465982000530 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.9%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17
Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 is a mid-sized elementary school in Rapid City, South Dakota, enrolling 328 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.4:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 32.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 328 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 51 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #38, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 328 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Rapid City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Valley View Elementary - 13 (605 students): Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.4:1 vs 18.9:1).
Rapid City Area School District 51-4 also operates Central High School - 41 (1,998 students) and Stevens High School - 42 (1,771 students) alongside Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17.
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 Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 compares
Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 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 | 16.4:1 | ▲ 21% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.9% | ▲ 14% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 328 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
328
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% above 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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 80% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.9%
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
$11,191
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 328 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.1 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 52.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 18.9%
Hispanic or Latino 13.1%
Two or More 10.1%
African American 3.7%
Asian 1.8%
Largest group: White at 52.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.1, Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rapid City Area School District 51-4, which includes Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17.
$11,191
Per student
-17%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.3%
State 26.7%
Federal 18.9%
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 Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School - 41 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stevens High School - 42 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Middle School - 36 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southwest Middle School - 38 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Middle School - 30 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,998
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,771
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 618
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Rapid City
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Valley View Elementary - 13
Standard public school
605 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Meadowbrook Elementary - 10
Standard public school
478 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Corral Drive Elementary - 21
Standard public school
439 students 20:1 students per teacher
Grandview Elementary - 06
Standard public school
431 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Pinedale Elementary - 11
Standard public school
377 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Knollwood Heights Elementary - 08
Standard public school
368 students 13.6:1 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 (~328 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17's federal record.
- Compare Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 against another school. Compare schools
- Rapid City Area School District 51-4'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 Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17
How many students attend Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17?
Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 has 328 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Rapid City, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17?
The student-teacher ratio at Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 is 16.4:1, which is 21% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17?
32.9% of students at Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17?
The largest demographic group at Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 is White at 52.4% of enrollment, in Rapid City, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17?
Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 rank among elementary schools in Rapid City?
By Resource Investment Index, Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 ranks #6 of 10 elementary schools in Rapid City, 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 Rapid City on the city page.
Is Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 a good school?
Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Rapid City Area School District 51-4?
Besides Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17, Rapid City Area School District 51-4 also operates Central High School - 41 (1,998 students), Stevens High School - 42 (1,771 students), and South Middle School - 36 (618 students). See the Rapid City Area School District 51-4 district page for the complete list.
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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.