Hereford Elementary - 08

As a minimally staffed primary school in Hereford, South Dakota, Hereford Elementary - 08 enrolls 13 students from grades K through 8, run under Meade School District 46-1. That puts it 94% smaller than the typical public school in South Dakota, which averages around 204 students.

Meade School District 46-1 comprises 11 schools with combined enrollment of 3,047 students; Hereford Elementary - 08 is among them.

Looking at the student body, Hereford Elementary - 08 records that nearly all students (100%) are White. By comparison, Meade County as a whole is about 86% White, so the school skews visibly more White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 1 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 9.3:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 15.4:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. An estimated 23% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Meade County (around 32%), the school's rate is noticeably below typical.

In the broader community, Meade County reports that median household earnings sit near $74,790, roughly 28% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Hereford Elementary - 08 is one of 16 public schools in Meade County (combined enrollment of about 3,395 students).

Nearest neighbor: Central Meade County School - 09, around 14.7 miles off.

Geographically, the school is in a countryside area.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Hereford Elementary - 08 has decreased 13%, going from 15 students in 2018 to 13 in 2025. The White share of enrollment grew from 93% to 100% over that span. Class-load math has loosened: from 5.9:1 in 2018 to 9.3:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Members of the school community can share what they know.