South Park Elementary - 03

South Park Elementary - 03 operates as a large K-5 school in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, operated by Belle Fourche School District 09-1. Current enrollment sits at 347 students spanning grades 1 through 4. Enrollment runs roughly 70% larger than the state mean of about 204.

South Park Elementary - 03 is one of 5 schools operated by Belle Fourche School District 09-1, a district that enrolls 1,274 students overall.

Looking at the student body, South Park Elementary - 03 logs that nearly all students (83%) are White. Other groups include 9% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, 2% Native American.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 30 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 11.5:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.4:1, putting South Park Elementary - 03 tighter than the state norm the norm. About 54% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is north of Butte County's rate of about 44%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, South Park Elementary - 03 sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 40.9%; this one delivers 43.3%.

In the area at large, community-level numbers for Butte County indicate median household income runs about $75,652, about 20% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. South Park Elementary - 03 is one of 8 public schools in Butte County (combined enrollment of about 1,504 students).

Nearest neighbor: Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09, around 0.7 miles off. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts South Park Elementary - 03 at 4th of 6; the average score across the group is 48.8%.

Geographically, the school is in a town-center area.

Looking at the recent track record. South Park Elementary - 03's enrollment has shrank 15% since 2018, when it stood at 408 (now 347). White enrollment moved from 88% to 83% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 13.6:1 in 2018 to 11.5:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for South Park Elementary - 03 typically covers enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.