Bowdle Elementary - 02

Bowdle Elementary - 02 is a micro-enrollment elementary campus in Bowdle, South Dakota, operated by Bowdle School District 22-1. The school hosts 40 students in grades K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 80% smaller than the state mean of about 204.

Across the 4 schools in Bowdle School District 22-1 (90 students total), Bowdle Elementary - 02 accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Bowdle Elementary - 02 lists that the student body is overwhelmingly White (85%). The remainder reads as 8% Asian, 5% Native American, 3% multiracial. That is noticeably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 95%.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Bowdle Elementary - 02 has 7 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 5.5:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.4:1, putting Bowdle Elementary - 02 tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 43% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Edmunds County runs at roughly 29%, so the school's eligibility rate is above the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, Bowdle Elementary - 02 is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 45.6%; this one delivers 61.3%, a residual of +15.6 points.

In the broader community, census data for Edmunds County shows median household income runs about $81,630, 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 6%. Bowdle Elementary - 02 is one of 14 public schools in Edmunds County (combined enrollment of about 684 students).

Bowdle Preschool - 04 is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 3 other public schools. Among the 5 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Bowdle Elementary - 02 ranks 1st on composite proficiency, higher than the local average of 38.4%.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Bowdle Elementary - 02 has contracted 40%, going from 67 students in 2018 to 40 in 2025. The White share of enrollment decreased from 97% to 85% over that span. Class-load math has narrowed: from 8.0:1 in 2018 to 5.5:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, members of the Bowdle Elementary - 02 community share and discuss sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.