Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 11 schools in district

Central Meade County School - 09

19625 Ball Field Road, Union Center, SD 57787Meade School District 46-1 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–08Non-Charter
56
Students
Total enrolled
$10,829
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 25% vs nat'l
11.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 25% vs nat'l
49/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 56 students in grades KG–08 in Union Center, South Dakota.
25% below average funding
District spends $10,829 per pupil, 25% less than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 49th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Central Meade County School - 09 is a small elementary in Union Center, South Dakota, serving grades KG–08 with 56 students. The district invests $10,829 per student — 25% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 5% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Central Meade County School - 09

56
Total Students
11.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
5%
Free Lunch
5
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution34 male · 22 female
61%
39%
Male 61%Female 39%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility5%
National avg 52% · 3 students
Student Composition
89%
11%
White89%
Multiracial11%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 466993000736

Academic Outcomes at Central Meade County School - 09

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
49
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 49th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 74th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 57787

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$10,829Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$10,829
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,765
Student Support$2,057
Administration$1,299
Operations$1,624
Other$1,083
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $10,829 spent per student, an estimated $4,797 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
33%
51%
State government
33.5%
Local (property tax)
51.4%
Federal programs
15.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 5% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $10,829/student, 25% less than the national average
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Sturgis Elementary - 03Piedmont Valley Elementary - 05Whitewood Elementary - 04Opal Elementary - 15
+3 more
↓
Middle
Sturgis Williams Middle School - 02Stagebarn Middle School - 10
↓
High School
Sturgis Brown High School - 01
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 08
Location—
CountyMeade County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMeade School District 46-1 →
Phone: (605)269-2264
NCES ID: 466993000736
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Union Center seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Meade School District 46-1
High
Sturgis Brown High School - 01
842 students · 09–12
● 49 opp23% FRL
Elem
Sturgis Elementary - 03
552 students · KG–04
● 49 opp35% FRL
Elem
Piedmont Valley Elementary - 05
523 students · KG–04
● 48 opp23% FRL
Mid
Sturgis Williams Middle School - 02
489 students · 05–08
● 49 opp30% FRL
Mid
Stagebarn Middle School - 10
457 students · 05–08
● 48 opp22% FRL
Elem
Whitewood Elementary - 04
109 students · PK–05
34% FRL
Elem
Opal Elementary - 15
14 students · KG–08
21% FRL
Elem
Hereford Elementary - 08
11 students · KG–08
● 49 opp27% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
19625 Ball Field Road, Union Center, SD 57787
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.