Interior Elementary - 09

As a rural-scale primary school in Interior, South Dakota, Interior Elementary - 09 serves 15 students from grades K through 8, operated by Kadoka Area School District 35-2. That puts it 93% leaner than the typical public school in South Dakota, which averages around 204 students.

Across the 6 schools in Kadoka Area School District 35-2 (283 students total), Interior Elementary - 09 accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Interior Elementary - 09 logs that nearly all students (87%) are Native American. Beyond that, the school lists 7% White, 7% Hispanic.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Interior Elementary - 09 has 3 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 4.5:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.4:1, putting Interior Elementary - 09 tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 80% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is higher than Jackson County's rate of about 72%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Interior Elementary - 09 tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 30.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 25.0%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Jackson County put median household earnings sit near $35,417, 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 40%. Across Jackson County's 6 public schools (combined enrollment of about 547 students), Interior Elementary - 09 is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Crazy Horse School, roughly 19.0 miles away. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Interior Elementary - 09 at 5th of 5; the average score across the group is 59.3%.

Geographically, the school is in a countryside area.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Interior Elementary - 09 has contracted 64%, going from 42 students in 2018 to 15 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share declined from 31% to 7%. Class-load math has pulled in: from 7.4:1 in 2018 to 4.5:1 in 2025.

On allk12, posts here usually surface around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.