Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 6 schools in district

Tea Area High School - 03

500 W Brian St, Tea, SD 57064Tea Area School District 41-5
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0912Non-Charter
610
Students
Total enrolled
98%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
13% vs nat'l
$11,223
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
22% vs nat'l
17.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
14% vs nat'l
Mid-sized public school
Serves 610 students in grades 09–12 in Tea, South Dakota.
22% below average funding
District spends $11,223 per pupil, 22% less than the national average of $14,347.
17.6 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Tea Area High School - 03 is a large high in Tea, South Dakota, serving grades 09–12 with 610 students. The district invests $11,223 per student — 22% below the national average of $14,347, with a 17.6:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 9% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The school's 98% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Tea Area High School - 03

610
Total Students
17.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
9%
Free Lunch
35
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0912) are served by this school
Gender Distribution329 male · 281 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility9%
National avg 52% · 55 students
Student Composition
86%
White86%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black2%
Multiracial4%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 460005201235

Academic Outcomes at Tea Area High School - 03

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
98%
State avg
78%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,223Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,223
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,938
Student Support$2,132
Administration$1,347
Operations$1,683
Other$1,122
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,223 spent per student, an estimated $4,972 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
50%
39%
State government
50.0%
Local (property tax)
39.3%
Federal programs
10.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 98% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 9% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,223/student, 22% less than the national average
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location
CountyLincoln County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (605)498-2700
NCES ID: 460005201235
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Tea seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
500 W Brian St, Tea, SD 57064
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.