Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 7 schools in district

Old Elm Spring Colony Elementary - 03

42021 268th St, Parkston, SD 57366Parkston School District 33-3 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
32
Students
Total enrolled
$11,771
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 18% vs nat'l
16.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
64/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↑ 27% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 32 students in grades PK–08 in Parkston, South Dakota.
18% below average funding
District spends $11,771 per pupil, 18% less than the national average of $14,347.
Above-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 64th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Old Elm Spring Colony Elementary - 03 is a small elementary in Parkston, South Dakota, serving grades PK–08 with 32 students. The district invests $11,771 per student — 18% below the national average of $14,347, with a 16.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 91% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The surrounding neighborhood has an opportunity score of 64/100 — above the national median — suggesting children from modest-income families here tend to reach stronger economic outcomes as adults.

Student Body & Demographics at Old Elm Spring Colony Elementary - 03

32
Total Students
16.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
91%
Free Lunch
2
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution15 male · 17 female
47%
53%
Male 47%Female 53%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility91%
National avg 52% · 29 students
Student Composition
100%
White100%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 465430000489

Academic Outcomes at Old Elm Spring Colony Elementary - 03

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
64
/ 100
Above-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 64th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 99th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 57366

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,771Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,771
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,179
Student Support$2,236
Administration$1,413
Operations$1,766
Other$1,177
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,771 spent per student, an estimated $5,214 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
35%
48%
State government
35.1%
Local (property tax)
47.8%
Federal programs
17.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • High neighborhood opportunity score (64/100) — strong long-term economic outlook for children
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 91% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Parkston Elementary - 02New Elm Spring Colony Elementary - 08
↓
Middle
Parkston Middle School - 05
↓
High School
Parkston High School - 01Our HomeParkston Virtual School - 92
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyHutchinson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictParkston School District 33-3 →
Phone: (605)928-3368
NCES ID: 465430000489
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Parkston seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a high-opportunity neighborhood and strong long-term outcomes for children. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Parkston School District 33-3
Elem
Parkston Elementary - 02
280 students · PK–05
● 64 opp24% FRL
High
Parkston High School - 01
122 students · 09–12
● 64 opp23% FRL
Mid
Parkston Middle School - 05
102 students · 06–08
● 64 opp23% FRL
High
Our Home
24 students · 05–12
● 64 opp88% FRL
Elem
New Elm Spring Colony Elementary - 08
22 students · PK–08
● 55 opp86% FRL
High
Parkston Virtual School - 92
0 students · 09–12
● 55 opp
District School Rankings
Location
42021 268th St, Parkston, SD 57366
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.