Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 9 schools in district

Buchanan K-1 Center - 18

555 Mellette Ave SW, Huron, SD 57350Huron School District 02-2 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–01Non-Charter
463
Students
Total enrolled
$13,471
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 6% vs nat'l
14.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
59/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↑ 18% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 463 students in grades KG–01 in Huron, South Dakota.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,471 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Above-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 59th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Buchanan K-1 Center - 18 is a mid-sized elementary in Huron, South Dakota, serving grades KG–01 with 463 students. The district invests $13,471 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 69% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Buchanan K-1 Center - 18

463
Total Students
14.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
69%
Free Lunch
31
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–01) are served by this school
Gender Distribution236 male · 227 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility69%
National avg 52% · 321 students
Student Composition
21%
36%
38%
Asian21%
White36%
Hispanic / Latino38%
Black1%
Multiracial3%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 463548001370

Academic Outcomes at Buchanan K-1 Center - 18

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
59
/ 100
Above-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 59th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 98th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 57350

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,471Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,471
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,927
Student Support$2,560
Administration$1,617
Operations$2,021
Other$1,347
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,471 spent per student, an estimated $5,968 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
43%
36%
State government
42.5%
Local (property tax)
35.9%
Federal programs
21.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 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
Madison 2-3 Center - 19Washington 4-5 Center - 20Huron Colony Elementary - 13Riverside Colony Elementary - 15
↓
Middle
Huron Middle School - 02
↓
High School
Huron High School - 01Our Home ASAP - 12Our Home Rediscovery - 77
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 01
Location—
CountyBeadle County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHuron School District 02-2 →
Phone: (605)353-7875
NCES ID: 463548001370
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Huron seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Huron School District 02-2
High
Huron High School - 01
836 students · 09–12
● 59 opp46% FRL
Mid
Huron Middle School - 02
695 students · 06–08
● 59 opp59% FRL
Elem
Madison 2-3 Center - 19
437 students · 02–03
● 59 opp65% FRL
Elem
Washington 4-5 Center - 20
429 students · 04–05
● 59 opp64% FRL
High
Our Home ASAP - 12
17 students · 05–12
● 59 opp18% FRL
Elem
Huron Colony Elementary - 13
17 students · KG–08
● 59 opp18% FRL
Elem
Riverside Colony Elementary - 15
15 students · KG–08
● 59 opp20% FRL
High
Our Home Rediscovery - 77
8 students · 05–12
● 59 opp
District School Rankings
Location
555 Mellette Ave SW, Huron, SD 57350
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.