South Dakota schools ranked by test score
Latest SD Smarter Balanced year (2024-25). 220 schools with reported English Language Arts scores. State average: 50.4%.
| Rank | School | Level | English Language Arts | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | North Park Elementary - 08 Belle Fourche · Belle Fourche School District 09-1 | Elementary | 42.6% | -7.8pp |
| 152 | South Park Elementary - 03 Belle Fourche · Belle Fourche School District 09-1 | Elementary | 42.6% | -7.8pp |
| 153 | Elk Point-Jefferson Elementary - 02 Elk Point · Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7 | Elementary | 42.3% | -8.1pp |
| 154 | Wilmot Elementary - 02 Wilmot · Wilmot School District 54-7 | Elementary | 42.0% | -8.4pp |
| 155 | Waubay Elementary - 02 Waubay · Waubay School District 18-3 | Elementary | 41.9% | -8.5pp |
| 156 | Flandreau Elementary - 04 Flandreau · Flandreau School District 50-3 | Elementary | 41.7% | -8.7pp |
| 157 | Highmore Elementary - 02 Highmore · Highmore-Harrold School District 34-2 | Elementary | 41.7% | -8.7pp |
| 158 | O M Tiffany Elementary - 11 Aberdeen · Aberdeen School District 06-1 | Elementary | 41.6% | -8.8pp |
| 159 | Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 Rapid City · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Elementary | 41.6% | -8.8pp |
| 160 | Black Hawk Elementary - 03 Black Hawk · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Elementary | 41.2% | -9.2pp |
| 161 | Bison Elementary - 02 Bison · Bison School District 52-1 | Elementary | 40.9% | -9.5pp |
| 162 | Hot Springs Elementary - 02 Hot Springs · Hot Springs School District 23-2 | Elementary | 40.5% | -9.9pp |
| 163 | Vermillion Elementary - 05 Vermillion · Vermillion School District 13-1 | Elementary | 39.4% | -11.0pp |
| 164 | Clear Lake Elementary - 02 Clear Lake · Deuel School District 19-4 | Elementary | 38.8% | -11.6pp |
| 165 | Willow Lake Elementary - 02 Willow Lake · Willow Lake School District 12-3 | Elementary | 38.7% | -11.7pp |
| 166 | Winner Elementary - 04 Winner · Winner School District 59-2 | Elementary | 38.4% | -12.0pp |
| 167 | Rosa Parks Elementary - 15 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 37.5% | -12.9pp |
| 168 | Mike Miller Elementary - 07 Aberdeen · Aberdeen School District 06-1 | Elementary | 37.4% | -13.0pp |
| 169 | Edgemont Elementary - 03 Edgemont · Edgemont School District 23-1 | Elementary | 37.3% | -13.1pp |
| 170 | Hillcrest Elementary - 04 Brookings · Brookings School District 05-1 | Elementary | 36.9% | -13.5pp |
| 171 | Woonsocket Elementary - 03 Woonsocket · Woonsocket School District 55-4 | Elementary | 36.9% | -13.5pp |
| 172 | Freedom Elementary - 06 Harrisburg · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Elementary | 36.4% | -14.0pp |
| 173 | Henry Elementary - 02 Henry · Henry School District 14-2 | Elementary | 36.4% | -14.0pp |
| 174 | Irene - Wakonda Elementary - 02 Wakonda · Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3 | Elementary | 36.1% | -14.3pp |
| 175 | Mellette Elementary - 07 Watertown · Watertown School District 14-4 | Elementary | 36.0% | -14.4pp |
| 176 | Garretson Elementary - 02 Garretson · Garretson School District 49-4 | Elementary | 35.8% | -14.6pp |
| 177 | Renberg Elementary - 42 Renner · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 35.5% | -14.9pp |
| 178 | Laura Wilder Elementary - 31 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 34.0% | -16.4pp |
| 179 | Westside Elementary - 03 Sisseton · Sisseton School District 54-2 | Elementary | 33.9% | -16.5pp |
| 180 | Wolsey Wessington Elementary - 02 Wolsey · Wolsey Wessington School District 02-6 | Elementary | 33.8% | -16.6pp |
| 181 | New Underwood Elementary - 02 New Underwood · New Underwood School District 51-3 | Elementary | 32.8% | -17.6pp |
| 182 | Webster Elementary - 06 Yankton · Yankton School District 63-3 | Elementary | 32.8% | -17.6pp |
| 183 | Anne Sullivan Elementary - 20 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 32.0% | -18.4pp |
| 184 | Susan B. Anthony Elementary - 66 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 31.7% | -18.7pp |
| 185 | Dupree Elementary - 02 Dupree · Dupree School District 64-2 | Elementary | 31.5% | -18.9pp |
| 186 | Kimball Elementary - 02 Kimball · Kimball School District 07-2 | Elementary | 31.1% | -19.3pp |
| 187 | Waverly-South Shore Elementary - 02 Waverly · Waverly School District 14-5 | Elementary | 30.7% | -19.7pp |
| 188 | Armour Elementary - 02 Armour · Armour School District 21-1 | Elementary | 30.0% | -20.4pp |
| 189 | Gayville-Volin Elementary - 02 Gayville · Gayville-Volin School District 63-1 | Elementary | 30.0% | -20.4pp |
| 190 | Tripp Elementary - 03 Tripp · Tripp-Delmont School District 33-5 | Elementary | 30.0% | -20.4pp |
| 191 | Lowell Elementary - 28 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 29.7% | -20.7pp |
| 192 | Wagner Elementary - 02 Wagner · Wagner Community School District 11-4 | Elementary | 29.7% | -20.7pp |
| 193 | Laura B. Anderson Elementary - 10 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 28.7% | -21.7pp |
| 194 | Iroquois Elementary - 04 Iroquois · Iroquois School District 02-3 | Elementary | 28.6% | -21.8pp |
| 195 | South Park Elementary - 16 Rapid City · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Elementary | 27.9% | -22.5pp |
| 196 | Andes Central Elementary - 02 Lake Andes · Andes Central School District 11-1 | Elementary | 26.8% | -23.6pp |
| 197 | Valley View Elementary - 13 Rapid City · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Elementary | 26.6% | -23.8pp |
| 198 | Bennett County Elementary School - 03 Martin · Bennett County School District 03-1 | Elementary | 25.5% | -24.9pp |
| 199 | Cleveland Elementary - 14 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 25.2% | -25.2pp |
| 200 | Buchanan K-1 Center - 18 Huron · Huron School District 02-2 | Elementary | 25.0% | -25.4pp |
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About this ranking
Schools are ranked by the percentage of students who scored at or above the SD Smarter Balanced % Proficient threshold on the latest available SD Smarter Balanced English Language Arts test (school year 2024-25). A higher percentage is better.
Only public schools with a reasonable cohort size are included (at least 50 total students enrolled, since the source file does not include per-subject student counts), so very small programs and special-purpose centers are filtered out.
The state average shown above is enrollment-weighted: we multiply each school's score by how many of its students tested, sum those across every public school in South Dakota, and divide by the total students tested. This way a big school counts more than a tiny one in the typical-student average.