All rankings · South Dakota
Best South Dakota public schools
Eight rankings of South Dakota's public schools from the latest NCES + state-assessment data. Unlike most school rankings, this list leads with BeatsExpectations: a demographics-adjusted score that asks how a school performs relative to what its student population would predict, not just in absolute terms.
South Dakota schools outperforming demographics
Top schools by BeatsExpectations score. Demographically-adjusted; a +20 here means the school posts 20 more proficiency points than its FRL profile predicts.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lakeview Colony Elementary - 05 | Lake Andes | +58.1pp |
| 2 | Challenge Center - 51 | Sioux Falls | +38.5pp |
| 3 | Jones County Elementary - 02 | Murdo | +37.7pp |
| 4 | Whitewood Elementary - 04 | Whitewood | +30.6pp |
| 5 | Fred Assam Elementary - 06 | Sioux Falls | +30.1pp |
| 6 | Kadoka Middle School - 03 | Kadoka | +27.6pp |
| 7 | Big Stone City Middle School - 03 | Big Stone City | +26.7pp |
| 8 | Faulkton Elementary - 02 | Faulkton | +24.5pp |
| 9 | Tyndall Elementary - 04 | Tyndall | +24.3pp |
| 10 | Hoven Jr. High - 03 | Hoven | +23.9pp |
| 11 | Inspiration Elementary - 08 | Sioux Falls | +22.5pp |
| 12 | Big Stone City Elementary - 01 | Big Stone City | +22.5pp |
| 13 | Lake Preston Elementary - 02 | Lake Preston | +22.4pp |
| 14 | Lake Preston Middle School - 03 | Lake Preston | +22.0pp |
| 15 | Kadoka Elementary - 02 | Kadoka | +21.8pp |
South Dakota Title I schools beating the odds
High-poverty schools (60%+ FRL) ranking in the top quartile of their state's proficiency.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln Elementary - 08 | Aberdeen | 48.5% |
| 2 | Huron Middle School - 02 | Huron | 42.6% |
| 3 | Susan B. Anthony Elementary - 66 | Sioux Falls | 36.0% |
| 4 | Westside Elementary - 03 | Sisseton | 35.2% |
| 5 | Washington 4-5 Center - 20 | Huron | 33.3% |
| 6 | Wagner Middle School - 03 | Wagner | 32.9% |
| 7 | Wagner Elementary - 02 | Wagner | 32.6% |
| 8 | George McGovern Middle School -09 | Sioux Falls | 31.7% |
| 9 | Laura Wilder Elementary - 31 | Sioux Falls | 30.4% |
| 10 | South Middle School - 36 | Rapid City | 30.4% |
South Dakota schools by raw proficiency
The traditional ranking: highest combined math + reading proficiency on the state assessment.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Challenge Center - 51 | Sioux Falls | 95.0% |
| 2 | Fred Assam Elementary - 06 | Sioux Falls | 89.9% |
| 3 | Warner Elementary - 02 | Warner | 82.8% |
| 4 | Adventure Elementary - 10 | Sioux Falls | 80.4% |
| 5 | Faulkton Elementary - 02 | Faulkton | 76.6% |
| 6 | Inspiration Elementary - 08 | Sioux Falls | 75.2% |
| 7 | Whitewood Elementary - 04 | Whitewood | 74.3% |
| 8 | Worthing Elementary - 05 | Worthing | 72.7% |
| 9 | Dell Rapids Elementary - 02 | Dell Rapids | 72.2% |
| 10 | Tyndall Elementary - 04 | Tyndall | 71.6% |
| 11 | Brandon Elementary - 03 | Brandon | 71.6% |
| 12 | Lennox Elementary - 02 | Lennox | 71.2% |
| 13 | Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 | Brandon | 70.7% |
| 14 | Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 | Brandon | 69.5% |
| 15 | C C Lee Elementary - 05 | Aberdeen | 69.3% |
South Dakota schools with the lowest student-teacher ratios
Schools with 200+ students reporting the fewest students per teacher. Excludes virtual.| # | School | City | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marty Indian School | Marty | 6.9:1 |
| 2 | Lincoln Elementary - 08 | Aberdeen | 8.2:1 |
| 3 | Lead-Deadwood Elementary - 03 | Deadwood | 9.0:1 |
| 4 | Isna Wica Owayawa | Oglala | 9.4:1 |
| 5 | Tiospa Zina Tribal School | Agency Village | 9.6:1 |
| 6 | Longfellow Elementary - 05 | Mitchell | 9.6:1 |
| 7 | Wagner Elementary - 02 | Wagner | 9.8:1 |
| 8 | Chamberlain Elementary - 03 | Chamberlain | 10.2:1 |
| 9 | Bennett County Elementary School - 03 | Martin | 10.2:1 |
| 10 | Custer Elementary - 02 | Custer | 10.3:1 |
| 11 | St. Francis Indian School | St. Francis | 10.4:1 |
| 12 | West Elementary - 03 | Spearfish | 10.5:1 |
| 13 | Chamberlain High School - 01 | Chamberlain | 10.6:1 |
| 14 | Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School | Eagle Butte | 10.7:1 |
| 15 | Lead-Deadwood High School - 01 | Lead | 10.7:1 |
Fastest-growing South Dakota public schools, 2017-2024
Schools open in both years with 200+ enrollment in 2017, ranked by % change.| # | School | City | Enrollment Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horizon Elementary - 09 | Sioux Falls | +123% |
| 2 | Harrisburg High School - 01 | Harrisburg | +83% |
| 3 | Tea Area High School - 03 | Tea | +66% |
| 4 | West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 | Hartford | +49% |
| 5 | Sisseton Middle School - 02 | Sisseton | +39% |
| 6 | Huron Middle School - 02 | Huron | +39% |
| 7 | Sisseton High School - 01 | Sisseton | +39% |
| 8 | Harrisburg South Middle School - 03 | Harrisburg | +31% |
| 9 | Winner Elementary - 04 | Winner | +29% |
| 10 | Lennox High School - 01 | Lennox | +29% |
| 11 | Brandon Valley High School - 01 | Brandon | +28% |
| 12 | Sturgis Brown High School - 01 | Sturgis | +27% |
| 13 | Brandon Elementary - 03 | Brandon | +27% |
| 14 | Spearfish High School - 01 | Spearfish | +26% |
| 15 | Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 | Brandon | +25% |
Most racially diverse South Dakota public schools
Schools ranked by how balanced their student body is. The largest single racial group's share of enrollment, lowest first.| # | School | City | Max group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terry Redlin Elementary - 11 | Sioux Falls | 26.0% White (107) |
| 2 | Whittier Middle School - 08 | Sioux Falls | 28.9% Hispanic (195) |
| 3 | Hawthorne Elementary - 56 | Sioux Falls | 30.7% White (136) |
| 4 | Garfield Elementary - 19 | Sioux Falls | 31.9% White (183) |
| 5 | Lowell Elementary - 28 | Sioux Falls | 33.6% Hispanic (143) |
| 6 | Washington 4-5 Center - 20 | Huron | 35.1% Hispanic (159) |
| 7 | Cleveland Elementary - 14 | Sioux Falls | 35.9% Black (167) |
| 8 | Laura B. Anderson Elementary - 10 | Sioux Falls | 36.1% Hispanic (105) |
| 9 | Huron Middle School - 02 | Huron | 36.3% White (260) |
| 10 | South Park Elementary - 16 | Rapid City | 37.7% White (118) |
| 11 | George McGovern Middle School -09 | Sioux Falls | 38.1% White (297) |
| 12 | Madison 2-3 Center - 19 | Huron | 39.0% Hispanic (185) |
| 13 | Horace Mann Elementary - 07 | Rapid City | 40.5% Native American (111) |
| 14 | Flandreau Elementary - 04 | Flandreau | 40.8% White (117) |
| 15 | Buchanan K-1 Center - 18 | Huron | 41.8% Hispanic (195) |
Largest South Dakota public schools
Brick-and-mortar schools ranked by total enrollment. Virtual schools excluded.| # | School | City | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central High School - 41 | Rapid City | 1,998 |
| 2 | Lincoln High School - 02 | Sioux Falls | 1,954 |
| 3 | Jefferson High School - 67 | Sioux Falls | 1,888 |
| 4 | Washington High School - 01 | Sioux Falls | 1,819 |
| 5 | Harrisburg High School - 01 | Harrisburg | 1,806 |
| 6 | Roosevelt High School - 03 | Sioux Falls | 1,785 |
| 7 | Stevens High School - 42 | Rapid City | 1,771 |
| 8 | Central High School - 01 | Aberdeen | 1,384 |
| 9 | Brandon Valley High School - 01 | Brandon | 1,381 |
| 10 | Watertown High School - 01 | Watertown | 1,222 |
| 11 | Memorial Middle School - 04 | Sioux Falls | 1,133 |
| 12 | Patriot Elementary -06 | Box Elder | 982 |
| 13 | Brookings High School - 01 | Brookings | 979 |
| 14 | Edison Middle School - 06 | Sioux Falls | 937 |
| 15 | Patrick Henry Middle School - 07 | Sioux Falls | 925 |
South Dakota schools underperforming demographics
Bottom 10% within state by BeatsExpectations. Not a verdict, a starting question. A school may be in leadership transition or recovering from a demographic shift.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Middle School - 03 | Henry | -29.9pp |
| 2 | Armour Elementary - 02 | Armour | -25.7pp |
| 3 | Colman-Egan Jr. High - 02 | Colman | -24.6pp |
| 4 | Florence Middle School - 03 | Florence | -24.2pp |
| 5 | Edmunds Central Middle School - 02 | Roscoe | -23.6pp |
| 6 | Elkton Jr. High - 03 | Elkton | -22.9pp |
| 7 | Iroquois Middle School - 02 | Iroquois | -22.6pp |
| 8 | Clark Middle School - 03 | Clark | -22.3pp |
| 9 | Summit Elementary - 02 | Summit | -21.8pp |
| 10 | Wessington Springs Jr. High - 04 | Wessington Springs | -21.5pp |
| 11 | Doland Jr. High - 02 | Doland | -20.8pp |
| 12 | Longvalley Elementary - 10 | Long Valley | -20.8pp |
| 13 | McCook Central Middle School - 03 | Salem | -20.2pp |
| 14 | Beresford Middle School - 03 | Beresford | -20.1pp |
| 15 | Oldham-Ramona-Rutland Jr. High | Rutland | -19.8pp |
About these rankings
These tables use the most recent NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) for enrollment, demographics, and staffing, and state-native assessment data (typically 2023-24 or 2024-25) for proficiency. BeatsExpectations is computed via per-state ordinary-least-squares regression of composite proficiency on free-and-reduced-lunch share. Full methodology.
License: CC-BY 4.0. Reproduce these rankings anywhere with attribution to allk12.com. Press contact: [email protected].
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