South Dakota schools ranked by test score
Latest SD Smarter Balanced year (2024-25). 98 schools with reported Science scores. State average: 44.3%.
| Rank | School | Level | Science | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Challenge Center - 51 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 90.6% | +46.3pp |
| 2 | C C Lee Elementary - 05 Aberdeen · Aberdeen School District 06-1 | Elementary | 71.7% | +27.4pp |
| 3 | Adventure Elementary - 10 Sioux Falls · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Elementary | 69.9% | +25.6pp |
| 4 | Buchanan Elementary - 03 Pierre · Pierre School District 32-2 | Elementary | 69.8% | +25.5pp |
| 5 | Custer Elementary - 02 Custer · Custer School District 16-1 | Elementary | 66.7% | +22.4pp |
| 6 | Milbank Elementary - 03 Milbank · Milbank School District 25-4 | Elementary | 64.2% | +19.9pp |
| 7 | Sonia Sotomayor Elementary - 65 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 64.1% | +19.8pp |
| 8 | Harvey Dunn Elementary - 54 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 61.4% | +17.1pp |
| 9 | Baltic Elementary - 02 Baltic · Baltic School District 49-1 | Elementary | 60.0% | +15.7pp |
| 10 | Eugene Field A+ Elementary - 16 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 60.0% | +15.7pp |
| 11 | Madison Elementary - 07 Madison · Madison Central School District 39-2 | Elementary | 60.0% | +15.7pp |
| 12 | Mobridge Upper Elementary - 04 Mobridge · Mobridge-Pollock School District 62-6 | Elementary | 58.0% | +13.7pp |
| 13 | Clear Lake Elementary - 02 Clear Lake · Deuel School District 19-4 | Elementary | 57.9% | +13.6pp |
| 14 | Platte - Geddes Elementary - 02 Platte · Platte - Geddes School District 11-5 | Elementary | 57.9% | +13.6pp |
| 15 | Hamlin Elementary - 09 Hayti · Hamlin School District 28-3 | Elementary | 57.8% | +13.5pp |
| 16 | Journey Elementary - 05 Sioux Falls · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Elementary | 56.7% | +12.4pp |
| 17 | Corral Drive Elementary - 21 Rapid City · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Elementary | 56.5% | +12.2pp |
| 18 | Elk Point-Jefferson Elementary - 02 Elk Point · Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7 | Elementary | 55.2% | +10.9pp |
| 19 | Beadle Elementary - 03 Yankton · Yankton School District 63-3 | Elementary | 54.7% | +10.4pp |
| 20 | Webster Area Elementary - 03 Webster · Webster Area School District 18-5 | Elementary | 54.6% | +10.3pp |
| 21 | John F. Kennedy Elementary - 57 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 53.1% | +8.8pp |
| 22 | Miller Elementary - 02 Miller · Miller School District 29-4 | Elementary | 52.9% | +8.6pp |
| 23 | Robert Frost Elementary - 18 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 51.7% | +7.4pp |
| 24 | Creekside Elementary - 07 Spearfish · Spearfish School District 40-2 | Elementary | 51.5% | +7.2pp |
| 25 | Jefferson Elementary - 06 Pierre · Pierre School District 32-2 | Elementary | 50.9% | +6.6pp |
| 26 | Endeavor Elementary - 07 Sioux Falls · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Elementary | 50.8% | +6.5pp |
| 27 | Sioux Valley Elementary - 02 Volga · Sioux Valley School District 05-5 | Elementary | 50.8% | +6.5pp |
| 28 | Tea Area Venture Elementary - 06 Tea · Tea Area School District 41-5 | Elementary | 50.8% | +6.5pp |
| 29 | Pinedale Elementary - 11 Rapid City · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Elementary | 50.0% | +5.7pp |
| 30 | John Harris Elementary - 23 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 49.1% | +4.8pp |
| 31 | Stewart Elementary - 05 Yankton · Yankton School District 63-3 | Elementary | 48.8% | +4.5pp |
| 32 | Garretson Elementary - 02 Garretson · Garretson School District 49-4 | Elementary | 48.6% | +4.3pp |
| 33 | Beresford Elementary - 02 Beresford · Beresford School District 61-2 | Elementary | 47.9% | +3.6pp |
| 34 | Dakota Valley Upper Elementary - 04 North Sioux City · Dakota Valley School District 61-8 | Elementary | 47.8% | +3.5pp |
| 35 | Hill City Elementary - 02 Hill City · Hill City School District 51-2 | Elementary | 47.6% | +3.3pp |
| 36 | Tea Area Legacy Elementary - 01 Tea · Tea Area School District 41-5 | Elementary | 47.5% | +3.2pp |
| 37 | Discovery Elementary - 26 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 47.1% | +2.8pp |
| 38 | Groton Area Elementary - 02 Groton · Groton Area School District 06-6 | Elementary | 46.9% | +2.6pp |
| 39 | Kennedy Elementary - 08 Pierre · Pierre School District 32-2 | Elementary | 46.9% | +2.6pp |
| 40 | West Central Humboldt Elementary - 02 Humboldt · West Central School District 49-7 | Elementary | 46.9% | +2.6pp |
| 41 | Explorer Elementary - 04 Sioux Falls · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Elementary | 46.3% | +2.0pp |
| 42 | Vermillion Elementary - 05 Vermillion · Vermillion School District 13-1 | Elementary | 46.0% | +1.7pp |
| 43 | Lincoln Elementary - 04 Yankton · Yankton School District 63-3 | Elementary | 45.3% | +1.0pp |
| 44 | Lead-Deadwood Elementary - 03 Deadwood · Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1 | Elementary | 44.7% | +0.4pp |
| 45 | Meadowbrook Elementary - 10 Rapid City · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Elementary | 43.6% | -0.7pp |
| 46 | Chamberlain Elementary - 03 Chamberlain · Chamberlain School District 07-1 | Elementary | 43.5% | -0.8pp |
| 47 | Lawrence Elementary - 02 Canton · Canton School District 41-1 | Elementary | 43.3% | -1.0pp |
| 48 | Vandenberg Elementary - 02 Box Elder · Douglas School District 51-1 | Elementary | 43.2% | -1.1pp |
| 49 | Camelot Intermediate - 06 Brookings · Brookings School District 05-1 | Elementary | 43.0% | -1.3pp |
| 50 | Parkston Elementary - 02 Parkston · Parkston School District 33-3 | Elementary | 42.9% | -1.4pp |
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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 Science 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.