Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 3 schools in district

Westside Elementary - 03

320 W Walnut, Sisseton, SD 57262Sisseton School District 54-2 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–04Non-Charter
395
Students
Total enrolled
$12,821
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 11% vs nat'l
13.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 12% vs nat'l
48/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 395 students in grades PK–04 in Sisseton, South Dakota.
11% below average funding
District spends $12,821 per pupil, 11% less than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 48th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Westside Elementary - 03 is a mid-sized elementary in Sisseton, South Dakota, serving grades PK–04 with 395 students. The district invests $12,821 per student — 11% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 67% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Westside Elementary - 03

395
Total Students
13.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
67%
Free Lunch
29
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–04) are served by this school
Gender Distribution216 male · 179 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility67%
National avg 52% · 264 students
Student Composition
19%
11%
19%
51%
White19%
Hispanic / Latino11%
Multiracial19%
Native American51%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 460005301241

Academic Outcomes at Westside Elementary - 03

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
48
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 48th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 72th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 57262

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,821Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,821
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,641
Student Support$2,436
Administration$1,539
Operations$1,923
Other$1,282
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,821 spent per student, an estimated $5,680 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
21%
39%
State government
20.7%
Local (property tax)
39.1%
Federal programs
40.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.5:1 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
Middle
Sisseton Middle School - 02
↓
High School
Sisseton High School - 01
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 04
Location—
CountyRoberts County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSisseton School District 54-2 →
Phone: (605)698-7613
NCES ID: 460005301241
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Sisseton 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 Sisseton School District 54-2
High
Sisseton High School - 01
296 students · 09–12
● 48 opp51% FRL
Mid
Sisseton Middle School - 02
288 students · 05–08
● 48 opp55% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
320 W Walnut, Sisseton, SD 57262
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.