Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 3 schools in district

Tri-Valley Intermediate School - 03

46450 252nd St, Colton, SD 57018Tri-Valley School District 49-6
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0508Non-Charter
317
Students
Total enrolled
$22,353
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
56% vs nat'l
15.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
58/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
16% vs nat'l
Mid-sized public school
Serves 317 students in grades 05–08 in Colton, South Dakota.
56% above average funding
District spends $22,353 per pupil, 56% more than the national average of $14,347.
Above-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 58th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Tri-Valley Intermediate School - 03 is a mid-sized middle in Colton, South Dakota, serving grades 05–08 with 317 students. The district invests $22,353 per student — 56% above the national average of $14,347, with a 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 14% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Tri-Valley Intermediate School - 03

317
Total Students
15.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
14%
Free Lunch
21
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0508) are served by this school
Gender Distribution177 male · 140 female
56%
44%
Male 56%Female 44%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility14%
National avg 52% · 43 students
Student Composition
85%
8%
White85%
Hispanic / Latino3%
Black8%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 464494000406

Academic Outcomes at Tri-Valley Intermediate School - 03

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
58
/ 100
Above-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 58th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 97th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 57018

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$22,353Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$22,353
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,835
Student Support$4,247
Administration$2,682
Operations$3,353
Other$2,235
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $22,353 spent per student, an estimated $9,902 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
30%
59%
State government
29.6%
Local (property tax)
58.9%
Federal programs
11.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $22,353/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 14% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • 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
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades05 – 08
Location
CountyMinnehaha County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (605)446-3538
NCES ID: 464494000406
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Colton seeking a public middle 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.

Location
46450 252nd St, Colton, SD 57018
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.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
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.