The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hayward Elementary - 38
Hayward Elementary sits on the west side of Sioux Falls, part of the Sioux Falls School District, the largest district in South Dakota. The school serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and has a sizable enrollment for an elementary building, with a large teaching staff and full classrooms across each grade. A clear majority of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places Hayward among the higher-need schools in the district. The student body is majority Hispanic, with White students forming the next largest group, followed by Black students, students of two or more races, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. The school also serves a small number of Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Data on English learners and special education populations was not reported, so those figures are unavailable here.
On state assessments, Hayward's results are low across all three tested subjects. Math proficiency sits well below what most South Dakota schools post, and English language arts is only modestly stronger but still low. Science proficiency, tested in fewer grades, is also low. Every tested student participated, so the results reflect the full eligible population rather than a skewed sample. These proficiency levels are a reality a parent should understand and may want to look into further with the school, asking what improvement plans are in place and how the building supports students working below grade level. The data does not include multi-year trends, so it is not possible to say from this information whether scores are moving up, holding flat, or declining. Average scale scores were not reported either, which limits the picture to proficiency rates alone.
Sioux Falls itself is a fast-growing city at the crossroads of Interstates 29 and 90, with an economy that has shifted over decades from industrial production toward health care, finance, and retail. Sanford Health and Avera Health are the dominant employers, with Wells Fargo and Citigroup maintaining large operations thanks in part to the state's favorable tax structure. The district has been growing along with the city and recently opened Susan B. Anthony Elementary to help absorb rising enrollment, a sign that boundary lines and building assignments may continue to shift as the population spreads southward. Hayward sits within this larger system, which gives families access to a broad set of district resources, though the specifics of programming at Hayward itself were not available in the data provided.
The surrounding housing market is moderate by national standards. Home values in the school's zip code are close to the state benchmark and below the national benchmark, with modest year-over-year appreciation. Rents are affordable relative to income, and the monthly cost of renting is lower than carrying a mortgage at current interest rates, which may matter to families deciding between buying and renting in the attendance area. The broader city is largely car-dependent outside downtown, though Sioux Area Metro runs bus lines across the city six days a week. Falls Park, the Big Sioux River, and a long paved loop trail serve as civic gathering spaces, and the Washington Pavilion downtown offers performing arts, visual arts, and a science center.
What the data shows is an elementary school serving a diverse, high-need student population in a growing metropolitan area, with state test results that trail well behind state norms. The school participates fully in state testing, the district is expanding and adding capacity, and the neighborhood offers relatively accessible housing. What is missing from the available information is any detail on programming, staffing ratios, attendance, discipline, special education and English learner services, or year-over-year academic direction. A family considering Hayward would benefit from asking the school directly about those areas, particularly the support structures in place for students performing below proficiency and how the building plans to strengthen outcomes.
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