Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 41 schools in district

Lowell Elementary - 28

710 W 18th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57104Sioux Falls School District 49-5 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
358
Students
Total enrolled
$12,503
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 13% vs nat'l
12.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 22% vs nat'l
51/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 358 students in grades KG–05 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
13% below average funding
District spends $12,503 per pupil, 13% less than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 51th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Lowell Elementary - 28 is a mid-sized elementary in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serving grades KG–05 with 358 students. The district invests $12,503 per student — 13% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 74% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Lowell Elementary - 28

358
Total Students
12.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
74%
Free Lunch
30
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution155 male · 203 female
43%
57%
Male 43%Female 57%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility74%
National avg 52% · 264 students
Student Composition
32%
28%
18%
10%
11%
White32%
Hispanic / Latino28%
Black18%
Multiracial10%
Native American11%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 466627000602

Academic Outcomes at Lowell Elementary - 28

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
51
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 51th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 83th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 57104

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,503Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,503
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,501
Student Support$2,376
Administration$1,500
Operations$1,875
Other$1,250
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,503 spent per student, an estimated $5,539 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
33%
48%
State government
33.1%
Local (property tax)
48.0%
Federal programs
18.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 74% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
RF Pettigrew Elementary - 17Discovery Elementary - 26Rosa Parks Elementary - 15John Harris Elementary - 23
+16 more
↓
Middle
Memorial Middle School - 04Ben Reifel Middle School - 68Patrick Henry Middle School - 07Edison Middle School - 06
+2 more
↓
High School
Washington High School - 01Lincoln High School - 02Jefferson High School - 67Roosevelt High School - 03
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyMinnehaha County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSioux Falls School District 49-5 →
Phone: (605)367-8378
NCES ID: 466627000602
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Sioux Falls 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 Sioux Falls School District 49-5
High
Washington High School - 01
1,910 students · 09–12
● 54 opp39% FRL
High
Lincoln High School - 02
1,883 students · 09–12
● 48 opp22% FRL
High
Jefferson High School - 67
1,749 students · 09–12
34% FRL
High
Roosevelt High School - 03
1,713 students · 09–12
● 52 opp28% FRL
Mid
Memorial Middle School - 04
1,168 students · 06–08
● 52 opp18% FRL
Mid
Ben Reifel Middle School - 68
1,010 students · 06–08
● 54 opp36% FRL
Elem
RF Pettigrew Elementary - 17
952 students · PK–05
● 52 opp23% FRL
Mid
Patrick Henry Middle School - 07
940 students · 06–08
● 48 opp24% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
710 W 18th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
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.