Is South Park Elementary - 03 a good school?

South Park Elementary - 03 ranks in the bottom 24.9% of South Dakota elementary schools.

How many students attend South Park Elementary - 03?

In the 2023-24 school year, 396 students attended South Park Elementary - 03.

What is the racial makeup of South Park Elementary - 03?

Students at South Park Elementary - 03 are 81% White, 9% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% American Indian.

What schools do graduates of South Park Elementary - 03 attend?

Students who attend South Park Elementary - 03 usually go on to attend: Middle : Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 High : Belle Fourche High School - 01

South Park Elementary - 03

Summary:

South Park Elementary - 03 is a public elementary school serving grades 1-4 in the Belle Fourche School District 09-1, with 382 students. Despite its small size, the school has consistently underperformed, ranking in the bottom half of South Dakota elementary schools.

South Park Elementary - 03 struggles with low test scores, with only 37.43% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 43.85% in Mathematics, compared to state averages of 50.04% and 42.95%, respectively. The school also has high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 11.3% to 14.0%, significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the school serves a relatively high proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 24.74% to 40.31% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Whitewood Elementary - 04 in the Meade School District 46-1, South Park Elementary - 03 consistently underperforms in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. Despite increased spending per student, from $8,554 in 2019-2020 to $10,263 in 2022-2023, the school's academic outcomes have not improved, suggesting the need for targeted interventions and strategies to address the challenges facing the school and its students.

Detail:

Public 1-4

1816 Valley Dr
Belle Fourche, SD 57717

(605) 723-3382

District: Belle Fourche School District 09-1

SchoolDigger Rank:
151^st of 201 South Dakota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,263

Students who attend South Park Elementary - 03 usually attend:

Middle:	Belle Fourche Middle School - 07
High:	Belle Fourche High School - 01

Student/teacher ratio: 12.7

Number of students: 396

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.1%

Hispanic:

9.3%

Two or more races:

6.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 43.7%

See top rated South Dakota elementary schools

Compare South Park Elementary - 03 to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Park Elementary - 03 ranks worse than 75.1% of elementary schools in South Dakota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.95. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (81.1%), Hispanic (9.3%), two or more races (6.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 43.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Park Elementary - 03 is 12.7. (See more...)

Compare South Park Elementary - 03 employs 31.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Park Elementary - 03 is $10,263.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Park Elementary - 03:

SchoolDigger ranks South Park Elementary - 03 151^st of 201 South Dakota public elementary schools. (See South Park Elementary - 03 in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Belle Fourche School District 09-1:

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Fourche School District 09-1 102^nd of 126 South Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for South Park Elementary - 03

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Rank History for all students at South Park Elementary - 03

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2003	41.53	141^st	187	24.6%
2004	38.69	143^rd	189	24.3%
2005	35.76	158^th	194	18.6%
2006	33.38	162^nd	197	17.8%
2007	36.44	155^th	194	20.1%
2008	38.68	156^th	194	19.6%
2009	44.14	138^th	196	29.6%
2010	40.95	151^st	206	26.7%
2011	34.55	169^th	205	17.6%
2012	42.28	163^rd	214	23.8%
2013	37.71	159^th	201	20.9%
2015	21.66	181^st	209	13.4%
2016	35.75	154^th	206	25.2%
2017	38.09	145^th	207	30.0%
2018	36.88	146^th	204	28.4%
2019	26.50	171^st	206	17.0%
2021	31.43	149^th	202	26.2%
2022	19.73	173^rd	202	14.4%
2023	27.83	161^st	204	21.1%
2024	29.95	151^st	201	24.9%

See the entire list of South Dakota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at South Park Elementary - 03

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	45.38	34^th	62	45.2%
2022	21.24	57^th	61	6.6%
2023	29.58	56^th	72	22.2%
2024	27.66	59^th	72	18.1%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Park Elementary - 03

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	53.36	55^th	121	54.5%
2019	44.12	68^th	121	43.8%
2021	38.63	70^th	106	34.0%
2022	24.08	66^th	80	17.5%
2023	53.34	46^th	112	58.9%
2024	43.54	59^th	110	46.4%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Park Elementary - 03

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	34.86	119^th	163	27.0%
2019	27.79	124^th	155	20.0%
2021	38.05	105^th	151	30.5%
2022	19.49	130^th	150	13.3%
2023	38.69	100^th	154	35.1%
2024	39.30	109^th	165	33.9%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Park Elementary - 03

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	41.78	110^th	170	35.3%
2019	28.60	124^th	160	22.5%
2021	28.24	119^th	157	24.2%
2022	25.90	119^th	154	22.7%
2023	22.73	134^th	166	19.3%
2024	25.01	129^th	161	19.9%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at South Park Elementary - 03

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	25.65	155^th	186	16.7%
2019	20.85	172^nd	191	9.9%
2021	22.94	152^nd	185	17.8%
2022	14.63	167^th	184	9.2%
2023	21.26	162^nd	185	12.4%
2024	20.82	160^th	184	13.0%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Dakota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for South Park Elementary - 03

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1994	456	2	2	10	11	n/a	n/a	481
1995	439	2	6	14	8	n/a	n/a	469
1996	439	2	6	14	8	n/a	n/a	469
1997	440	3	2	14	15	n/a	n/a	474
1998	405	2	2	7	11	n/a	n/a	427
1999	417	2	3	11	12	n/a	n/a	445
2000	420	2	2	12	12	n/a	n/a	448
2001	384	1	4	8	19	n/a	n/a	416
2002	368	0	1	6	10	n/a	n/a	385
2003	368	0	1	6	10	n/a	n/a	385
2004	371	1	0	10	12	n/a	n/a	394
2005	371	0	0	11	10	n/a	n/a	392
2006	381	0	0	14	6	n/a	n/a	401
2007	374	1	1	21	12	n/a	n/a	409
2008	367	1	0	17	15	n/a	n/a	400
2009	397	1	1	22	15	n/a	n/a	436
2010	395	2	0	22	14	n/a	n/a	433
2011	349	0	1	31	13	0	12	406
2012	360	0	1	38	8	0	13	420
2013	387	3	1	40	6	0	17	454
2014	401	3	0	36	8	0	22	470
2015	370	0	0	31	5	0	19	425
2016	378	1	0	26	5	0	24	434
2017	355	1	0	23	6	0	18	403
2018	357	0	0	28	5	0	18	408
2019	360	0	0	22	6	0	23	411
2020	344	0	0	25	12	0	22	403
2021	343	0	0	29	15	0	20	407
2022	323	0	0	36	7	0	26	392
2023	313	0	0	33	11	1	24	382
2024	321	0	0	37	11	1	26	396

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Park Elementary - 03

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	481	27.6	17.4	n/a
1995	469	29.4	16.0	n/a
1996	469	29.4	16.0	n/a
1997	474	30.1	15.7	16.5
1998	427	22.5	19.0	44.3
1999	445	30.8	14.4	45.4
2000	448	30.4	14.7	43.5
2001	416	29.3	14.2	44
2002	385	27.3	14.1	44.7
2003	385	27.3	14.1	44.7
2004	394	27.3	14.4	43.1
2005	392	27.3	14.4	43.9
2006	401	27.3	14.7	43.4
2007	409	27.8	14.7	38.9
2008	400	27.8	14.4	45
2009	436	26.3	16.6	45.9
2010	433	27.3	15.8	49.7
2011	406	26.8	15.1	52
2012	420	27.8	15.0	51.7
2013	454	27.8	16.3	51.8
2014	470	30.8	15.2	55.3
2015	425	31.0	13.7	48.5
2016	434	31.0	14.0	51.8
2017	403	31.0	12.9	46.9
2018	408	30.0	13.5	47.1
2019	411	30.5	13.4	46
2020	403	30.5	13.2	43.7
2021	407	30.5	13.3	37.1
2022	392	32.5	12.0	24.7
2023	382	32.5	11.7	40.3
2024	396	31.1	12.7	43.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio South Park Elementary - 03

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1994	481	27.6	17.4	n/a
1995	469	29.4	16.0	n/a
1996	469	29.4	16.0	n/a
1997	474	30.1	15.7	16.5
1998	427	22.5	19.0	44.3
1999	445	30.8	14.4	45.4
2000	448	30.4	14.7	43.5
2001	416	29.3	14.2	44
2002	385	27.3	14.1	44.7
2003	385	27.3	14.1	44.7
2004	394	27.3	14.4	43.1
2005	392	27.3	14.4	43.9
2006	401	27.3	14.7	43.4
2007	409	27.8	14.7	38.9
2008	400	27.8	14.4	45
2009	436	26.3	16.6	45.9
2010	433	27.3	15.8	49.7
2011	406	26.8	15.1	52
2012	420	27.8	15.0	51.7
2013	454	27.8	16.3	51.8
2014	470	30.8	15.2	55.3
2015	425	31.0	13.7	48.5
2016	434	31.0	14.0	51.8
2017	403	31.0	12.9	46.9
2018	408	30.0	13.5	47.1
2019	411	30.5	13.4	46
2020	403	30.5	13.2	43.7
2021	407	30.5	13.3	37.1
2022	392	32.5	12.0	24.7
2023	382	32.5	11.7	40.3
2024	396	31.1	12.7	43.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Park Elementary - 03

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$1,156 (13.5%)	$7,399 (86.5%)	$8,554
2021	$1,250 (14.1%)	$7,588 (85.9%)	$8,837
2022	$1,875 (18.8%)	$8,074 (81.2%)	$9,949
2023	$1,905 (18.6%)	$8,358 (81.4%)	$10,263

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Park Elementary - 03

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 171^st of 206 Elementary schools	Ranks 161^st of 204 Elementary schools	4.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Park Elementary - 03)	30.7	30.7	0%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	30	30.7	0.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	49.1	45.3	3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Park Elementary - 03)	50	39.6	10.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	48.9	39.6	9.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	52.7	51.1	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Park Elementary - 03)	39.8	41.1	1.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	39.5	41.1	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	50.3	47.2	3.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Park Elementary - 03)	41.7	44.2	2.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	42.2	44.2	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	49	47.7	1.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (South Park Elementary - 03)	35.7	35.7
All Grades English Language Arts (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	52.2	49.8	2.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (South Dakota)	53.2	49.7	3.5%
All Grades Mathematics (South Park Elementary - 03)	45.4	41.8	3.6%
All Grades Mathematics (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	43	36.6	6.5%
All Grades Mathematics (South Dakota)	44.9	41.9	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	411	382	7.1%
African American	0	0
American Indian	6	11	83.3%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	22	33	50%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	360	313	13.1%
Two or More Races	23	24	4.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	46%	40.3%	5.7%

Schools Near South Park Elementary - 03

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Park Elementary - 03	Public	1-4	1816 Valley Dr	Belle Fourche	57717	Butte County	Belle Fourche School District 09-1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 723-3382	396	31	12.7	43.7%	321 (81.1%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.8%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (6.6%)	29.9	151^st of 201 public elementary schools	24.9%		27.8	161^st of 204 public elementary schools	21.1%	10	39.6	35.5		37.4	46.9	41.1		43.9		$10,263	$1,905	$8,358
North Park Elementary - 08	Public	K	29 N 6th Ave	Belle Fourche	57717	Butte County	Belle Fourche School District 09-1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 723-3379	88	8	10.7	42.0%	77 (87.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.4%)								(n/a)										$11,446	$1,140	$10,306
Creekside Elementary - 07	Public	3-5	2325 N Ave	Spearfish	57783	Lawrence County	Spearfish School District 40-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 717-1210	519	37	13.8	17.1%	448 (86.3%)	2 (0.4%)	28 (5.4%)	6 (1.2%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (5.2%)	62.9	68^th of 201 public elementary schools	66.2%		61.3	81^st of 204 public elementary schools	60.3%	13	49.4	62.4	53.9	55.2	63.5	58.4	44.9	55.8	47.9	$8,840	$757	$8,084
West Elementary - 03	Public	1-2	920 W King St	Spearfish	57783	Lawrence County	Spearfish School District 40-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 717-1205	348	32	10.7	17.0%	310 (89.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.9%)	2 (0.6%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.7%)								(n/a)										$10,503	$1,437	$9,066
Mountain View Elementary - 08	Public	K	400 E Hudson	Spearfish	57783	Lawrence County	Spearfish School District 40-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 717-1209	166	14	11.8	12.0%	141 (84.9%)	1 (0.6%)	11 (6.6%)	1 (0.6%)	4 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.8%)								(n/a)										$10,518	$844	$9,674
Whitewood Elementary - 04	Public	PK, KG-5	603 Garfield St	Whitewood	57793	Lawrence County	Meade School District 46-1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 269-2264	124	10	11.8	42.7%	109 (87.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.2%)	84.9	18^th of 201 public elementary schools	91.0%		94.2	5^th of 204 public elementary schools	97.5%	13	71.4	54.2	100.0	69.4	92.9	62.5	100.0	79.6	81.8	$10,795	$318	$10,477

South Park Elementary - 03

South Park Elementary - 03:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Belle Fourche School District 09-1:

What do you think?

Rank History for South Park Elementary - 03

Rank History for all students at South Park Elementary - 03

Rank History for Special Education students at South Park Elementary - 03

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Park Elementary - 03

Rank History for Female students at South Park Elementary - 03

Rank History for Male students at South Park Elementary - 03

Rank History for White students at South Park Elementary - 03

Enrollment information for South Park Elementary - 03

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Park Elementary - 03

Student/Teacher Ratio South Park Elementary - 03

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Park Elementary - 03

Impact of COVID-19 on South Park Elementary - 03

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South Park Elementary - 03