The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 17% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Laura B. Anderson Elementary - 10
Laura B. Anderson Elementary sits on the north side of Sioux Falls, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Sioux Falls School District. It is a neighborhood elementary school in a city that has grown steadily for decades, transforming from a manufacturing and food-processing hub into a regional center for health care, finance, and retail. Sioux Falls is South Dakota's largest city, and the school district reflects that scale, operating dozens of elementary, middle, and high schools spread across the city rather than clustered downtown. Laura B. Anderson is one piece of that large, distributed system.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary building, with a fairly even distribution across grade levels and a sizeable pre-kindergarten cohort. Its student body is diverse. The largest single group is white students, but Hispanic students make up the next largest share, with smaller populations of Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and multiracial students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which places the school among those serving a higher-need population within the district. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not available, so those proportions are not characterized here.
On state assessments, Laura B. Anderson's proficiency rates are low. In math, roughly a quarter of tested students in grades three through five reached proficient or above on the SBAC assessment. English language arts results were similar, with a little over a quarter of students meeting the proficiency bar. Science, tested in a narrower grade band, showed a smaller share of students reaching proficiency on the South Dakota Science Assessment. Participation was full across all three subjects. These results fall below what most parents would hope to see, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school, asking about instructional focus, intervention supports, and how the building is working to move students toward grade-level expectations. Average scale scores were not reported, so a finer read on student performance beyond the proficiency cut is not available.
The school sits in the 57103 zip code, on the city's north side. Housing values there run below both the state and national benchmarks, making this one of the more affordable parts of the Sioux Falls metro for homeownership. Rents are also moderate relative to broader market conditions, and the estimated monthly cost of renting is lower than the estimated monthly mortgage payment at current rates, which means families may find renting more accessible than buying in this area. The broader city economy is anchored by major health systems, Sanford Health and Avera Health, along with the school district itself, Smithfield Foods, and financial operations drawn to the state by its tax structure. Employment in the region is stable, with unemployment holding steady.
Sioux Falls itself offers a rich civic and cultural backdrop. Falls Park, centered on the Big Sioux River cascades, is a signature gathering space. The city has a long paved loop trail system for biking and walking, and downtown hosts seasonal events like SculptureWalk and First Fridays. The Washington Pavilion, a cultural center with performing arts, visual arts, and a science center, occupies the renovated former Washington High School downtown. Public transit runs weekdays and Saturdays through Sioux Area Metro's bus network. The city is largely car-dependent outside the downtown core.
The school district is in a period of active growth. Enrollment has been climbing, and the district recently opened Susan B. Anthony Elementary as a new building to accommodate that expansion. Growth at the district level drives decisions about boundaries, class sizes, and facility investments, all of which can affect individual schools like Laura B. Anderson over time.
What the data does not cover is also worth naming. No information was available on the school's Title I status, magnet or specialty designation, disciplinary data, course offerings beyond the standard elementary curriculum, staffing ratios, or attendance rates. The school's specific programs, extracurriculars, and any specialized supports were not reported in the available data. A parent evaluating this school would want to ask directly about those areas, particularly given the academic results. Laura B. Anderson is a community elementary school serving a diverse, higher-need student population in an affordable part of a growing city, with state test results that indicate real academic challenges worth understanding in fuller detail before enrolling.
See more original research from School Decision →