Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 4 schools in district

Hermosa Elementary - 04

11 4th St, Hermosa, SD 57744Custer School District 16-1 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–08Non-Charter
222
Students
Total enrolled
$20,373
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 42% vs nat'l
10.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 35% vs nat'l
52/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 222 students in grades KG–08 in Hermosa, South Dakota.
42% above average funding
District spends $20,373 per pupil, 42% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 52th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Hermosa Elementary - 04 is a mid-sized elementary in Hermosa, South Dakota, serving grades KG–08 with 222 students. The district invests $20,373 per student — 42% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 10.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 34% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Hermosa Elementary - 04

222
Total Students
10.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
34%
Free Lunch
22
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution104 male · 118 female
47%
53%
Male 47%Female 53%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility34%
National avg 52% · 76 students
Student Composition
83%
Asian1%
White83%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Multiracial5%
Native American5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 461695000159

Academic Outcomes at Hermosa Elementary - 04

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
52
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 52th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 87th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 57744

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,373Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$20,373
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,964
Student Support$3,871
Administration$2,445
Operations$3,056
Other$2,037
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $20,373 spent per student, an estimated $9,025 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
77%
State government
2.5%
Local (property tax)
77.4%
Federal programs
20.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $20,373/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 10.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Custer Elementary - 02
↓
Middle
Custer Jr. High - 05
↓
High School
Custer High School - 01
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 08
Location—
CountyCuster County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCuster School District 16-1 →
Phone: (605)255-4345
NCES ID: 461695000159
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Hermosa seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Custer School District 16-1
Elem
Custer Elementary - 02
304 students · KG–06
● 52 opp19% FRL
High
Custer High School - 01
284 students · 09–12
● 52 opp16% FRL
Mid
Custer Jr. High - 05
101 students · 07–08
● 52 opp22% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
11 4th St, Hermosa, SD 57744
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.