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Buffalo Elementary - 02

Summary:

Buffalo Elementary - 02 is a public elementary school in Buffalo, South Dakota, serving 92 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Harding County School District 31-1, which is ranked 68 out of 126 school districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Buffalo Elementary - 02 has shown fluctuating performance, with its statewide ranking ranging from 26th to 149th among South Dakota elementary schools. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in Smarter Balanced Assessments were higher than the state averages in both English Language Arts (51.02% vs. 50.04%) and Mathematics (53.06% vs. 42.95%), but slightly higher in Science (42.86% vs. 41.21%). Compared to the district, the school had higher proficiency rates in Mathematics but lower rates in English Language Arts. The school has also experienced higher-than-average chronic absenteeism rates, which may indicate a need for improved attendance initiatives.

In terms of student demographics, Buffalo Elementary - 02 has a higher percentage of white students compared to the state average, and its female student population ranks 94 out of 165 South Dakota elementary schools. The school has seen an increase in per-student spending, from $12,916 in 2019-2020 to $15,085 in 2022-2023, and a relatively stable student-teacher ratio, suggesting a focus on resource allocation to support student learning. However, the school's inconsistent academic performance and chronic absenteeism concerns indicate a need for further analysis and targeted interventions to ensure all students at Buffalo Elementary - 02 are set up for success.


Detail:

Public K-5

 12474 Tipperary St
       Buffalo, SD  57720

(605) 375-3241

District: Harding County School District 31-1

SchoolDigger Rank:
102nd of 201 South Dakota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,085 Help


Students who attend Buffalo Elementary - 02 usually attend:

Middle:    Harding County Middle School - 03
High:    Harding County High School - 01

Student/teacher ratio:  10.4 Help
Number of students:  101

Racial breakdown:

White:
96.0%
Two or more races:
2.0%
Hispanic:
1.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  30.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Buffalo Elementary - 02 ranks worse than 50.7% of elementary schools in South Dakota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.12. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (96%), two or more races (2%), Hispanic (1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 30.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Buffalo Elementary - 02 is 10.4. (See more...)
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Compare Buffalo Elementary - 02 employs 9.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Buffalo Elementary - 02 is $15,085.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Buffalo Elementary - 02:

SchoolDigger ranks Buffalo Elementary - 02 102nd of 201 South Dakota public elementary schools. (See Buffalo Elementary - 02 in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
White students:


Harding County School District 31-1:

SchoolDigger ranks Harding County School District 31-1 68th of 126 South Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Buffalo Elementary - 02

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Rank History for all students at Buffalo Elementary - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 32.64 155th 187 17.1%
2004 39.79 140th 189 25.9%
2005 50.77 125th 194 35.6%
2006 69.99 49th 197 75.1%
2007 64.84 68th 194 64.9%
2008 62.31 83rd 194 57.2%
2010 41.60 149th 206 27.7%
2011 51.35 125th 205 39.0%
2017 37.82 146th 207 29.5%
2018 38.54 138th 204 32.4%
2019 81.23 26th 206 87.4%
2021 68.95 54th 202 73.3%
2022 60.16 79th 202 60.9%
2023 37.58 135th 204 33.8%
2024 53.12 102nd 201 49.3%
See the entire list of South Dakota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Buffalo Elementary - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 47.06 94th 165 43.0%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for White students at Buffalo Elementary - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.60 152nd 186 18.3%
2019 76.25 29th 191 84.8%
2021 60.25 69th 185 62.7%
2022 51.66 87th 184 52.7%
2023 27.23 147th 185 20.5%
2024 39.15 124th 184 32.6%
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.

Buffalo Elementary - 02 Test Scores
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Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
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District Scores:
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Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Buffalo Elementary - 02

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 114 114
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 116 116
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 115 115
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 115 115
1993 122 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 122
1994 108 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 108
1995 93 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 93
1996 93 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 93
1997 86 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 86
1998 84 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 84
1999 85 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 85
2000 84 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 84
2001 77 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 77
2002 79 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 79
2003 79 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 79
2004 73 0 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 74
2005 62 0 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 63
2006 66 0 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 68
2007 69 0 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 70
2008 72 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 72
2009 72 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 72
2010 69 0 0 2 2 n/a n/a 0 73
2011 68 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 72
2012 49 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 51
2013 57 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 62
2014 53 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 55
2015 60 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 65
2016 68 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 71
2017 75 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 76
2018 75 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 79
2019 76 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 76
2020 77 0 0 0 5 0 2 0 84
2021 78 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 82
2022 80 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 83
2023 87 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 92
2024 97 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 101

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 Buffalo Elementary - 02

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 114 7.8 14.6 n/a
1990 116 11.0 10.5 n/a
1991 115 11.5 10.0 n/a
1992 115 11.5 10.0 n/a
1993 122 10.8 11.3 n/a
1994 108 11.2 9.6 n/a
1995 93 10.7 8.7 n/a
1996 93 10.7 8.7 n/a
1997 86 9.6 9.0 22.1
1998 84 8.3 10.1 33.3
1999 85 8.5 10.0 42.4
2000 84 10.2 8.2 47.6
2001 77 9.6 8.0 44.2
2002 79 8.5 9.3 45.6
2003 79 8.5 9.3 45.6
2004 74 7.6 9.7 50
2005 63 7.3 8.6 44.4
2006 68 7.8 8.7 32.4
2007 70 8.6 8.1 44.3
2008 72 9.1 7.9 48.6
2009 72 9.0 8.0 40.3
2010 73 8.9 8.1 39.7
2011 72 8.4 8.5 26.4
2012 51 7.7 6.5 27.5
2013 62 7.7 8.0 27.4
2014 55 7.6 7.1 16.4
2015 65 8.0 8.1 30.8
2016 71 8.0 8.8 26.8
2017 76 8.0 9.4 22.4
2018 79 7.9 9.9 24.1
2019 76 8.1 9.3 17.1
2020 84 7.9 10.5 23.8
2021 82 7.8 10.4 23.2
2022 83 8.8 9.4 12
2023 92 8.3 10.9 29.3
2024 101 9.6 10.4 30.7

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 Buffalo Elementary - 02

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 114 7.8 14.6 n/a
1990 116 11.0 10.5 n/a
1991 115 11.5 10.0 n/a
1992 115 11.5 10.0 n/a
1993 122 10.8 11.3 n/a
1994 108 11.2 9.6 n/a
1995 93 10.7 8.7 n/a
1996 93 10.7 8.7 n/a
1997 86 9.6 9.0 22.1
1998 84 8.3 10.1 33.3
1999 85 8.5 10.0 42.4
2000 84 10.2 8.2 47.6
2001 77 9.6 8.0 44.2
2002 79 8.5 9.3 45.6
2003 79 8.5 9.3 45.6
2004 74 7.6 9.7 50
2005 63 7.3 8.6 44.4
2006 68 7.8 8.7 32.4
2007 70 8.6 8.1 44.3
2008 72 9.1 7.9 48.6
2009 72 9.0 8.0 40.3
2010 73 8.9 8.1 39.7
2011 72 8.4 8.5 26.4
2012 51 7.7 6.5 27.5
2013 62 7.7 8.0 27.4
2014 55 7.6 7.1 16.4
2015 65 8.0 8.1 30.8
2016 71 8.0 8.8 26.8
2017 76 8.0 9.4 22.4
2018 79 7.9 9.9 24.1
2019 76 8.1 9.3 17.1
2020 84 7.9 10.5 23.8
2021 82 7.8 10.4 23.2
2022 83 8.8 9.4 12
2023 92 8.3 10.9 29.3
2024 101 9.6 10.4 30.7

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 Buffalo Elementary - 02

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020 $351 (2.7%) $12,565 (97.3%) $12,916
2021 $567 (4.2%) $12,848 (95.8%) $13,415
2022 $1,300 (8.9%) $13,374 (91.1%) $14,675
2023 $1,429 (9.5%) $13,656 (90.5%) $15,085

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Buffalo Elementary - 02

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 26th of 206 Elementary schoolsRanks 135th of 204 Elementary schools
 53.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Elementary - 02)64.350
 14.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Harding County School District 31-1)68.855.6
 13.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)49.147.1
 2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Elementary - 02)85.756.3
 29.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Harding County School District 31-1)87.561.1
 26.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)52.753.3
 0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Elementary - 02)69.235.3
 33.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Harding County School District 31-1)68.842.1
 26.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)50.347.2
 3.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Elementary - 02)84.641.2
 43.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Harding County School District 31-1)81.347.4
 33.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)4947.7
 1.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Buffalo Elementary - 02)63.650
 13.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Harding County School District 31-1)69.246.2
 23.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)54.148.7
 5.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Buffalo Elementary - 02)54.540
 14.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Harding County School District 31-1)61.538.5
 23.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)40.539.4
 1.2%
5th Grade Science (Buffalo Elementary - 02)54.540
 14.5%
   5th Grade Science (Harding County School District 31-1)61.546.2
 15.4%
   5th Grade Science (South Dakota)42.139.9
 2.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Buffalo Elementary - 02)65.838.9
 26.9%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Harding County School District 31-1)6752.3
 14.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (South Dakota)53.249.7
 3.5%
All Grades Mathematics (Buffalo Elementary - 02)76.341.7
 34.6%
   All Grades Mathematics (Harding County School District 31-1)53.851.4
 2.4%
   All Grades Mathematics (South Dakota)44.941.9
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students7692
 21.1%
African American00
American Indian02
Asian00
Hispanic00
Pacific Islander01
White7687
 14.5%
Two or More Races02
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients17.1%29.3%
 12.2%

Schools Near Buffalo Elementary - 02








Frequently Asked Questions about Buffalo Elementary - 02

Students who attend Buffalo Elementary - 02 usually go on to attend:

Middle : Harding County Middle School - 03
High : Harding County High School - 01

Buffalo Elementary - 02 ranks 102nd of 201 South Dakota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 101 students attended Buffalo Elementary - 02.

Students at Buffalo Elementary - 02 are 96% White, 2% Two or more races.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Dakota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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