South Dakota schools ranked by test score
Latest SD Smarter Balanced year (2024-25). 362 schools with reported English Language Arts scores. State average: 50.4%.
| Rank | School | Level | English Language Arts | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | Northwestern Elementary - 04 Mellette · Northwestern Area School District 56-7 | Elementary | 55.3% | +4.9pp |
| 152 | Tea Area Middle School - 02 Tea · Tea Area School District 41-5 | Middle | 55.3% | +4.9pp |
| 153 | Garretson Middle School - 03 Garretson · Garretson School District 49-4 | Middle | 55.1% | +4.7pp |
| 154 | Chester Elementary -02 Chester · Chester Area School District 39-1 | Elementary | 54.8% | +4.4pp |
| 155 | Edison Middle School - 06 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Middle | 54.7% | +4.3pp |
| 156 | Hot Springs Middle School - 06 Hot Springs · Hot Springs School District 23-2 | Middle | 54.6% | +4.2pp |
| 157 | Parkston Elementary - 02 Parkston · Parkston School District 33-3 | Elementary | 54.6% | +4.2pp |
| 158 | Endeavor Elementary - 07 Sioux Falls · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Elementary | 54.0% | +3.6pp |
| 159 | Hamlin Middle School - 02 Hayti · Hamlin School District 28-3 | Middle | 53.9% | +3.5pp |
| 160 | Jefferson Elementary - 06 Pierre · Pierre School District 32-2 | Elementary | 53.9% | +3.5pp |
| 161 | RF Pettigrew Elementary - 17 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 53.6% | +3.2pp |
| 162 | Hermosa Elementary - 04 Hermosa · Custer School District 16-1 | Elementary | 53.5% | +3.1pp |
| 163 | New Underwood Middle School - 04 New Underwood · New Underwood School District 51-3 | Middle | 53.5% | +3.1pp |
| 164 | Freeman Davis Elementary - 03 Mobridge · Mobridge-Pollock School District 62-6 | Elementary | 52.9% | +2.5pp |
| 165 | Mobridge Upper Elementary - 04 Mobridge · Mobridge-Pollock School District 62-6 | Elementary | 52.9% | +2.5pp |
| 166 | Sanborn Central Middle School - 02 Forestburg · Sanborn Central School District 55-5 | Middle | 52.9% | +2.5pp |
| 167 | Piedmont Valley Elementary - 05 Piedmont · Meade School District 46-1 | Elementary | 52.4% | +2.0pp |
| 168 | Kimball Middle School - 04 Kimball · Kimball School District 07-2 | Middle | 52.2% | +1.8pp |
| 169 | Philip Jr. High - 03 Philip · Haakon School District 27-1 | Middle | 52.2% | +1.8pp |
| 170 | Tri-Valley Elementary in Crooks - 04 Crooks · Tri-Valley School District 49-6 | Elementary | 52.1% | +1.7pp |
| 171 | Colman Elementary - 03 Colman · Colman-Egan School District 50-5 | Elementary | 52.0% | +1.6pp |
| 172 | Hitchcock-Tulare Elementary - 05 Hitchcock · Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6 | Elementary | 51.9% | +1.5pp |
| 173 | Dakota Valley Elementary - 02 North Sioux City · Dakota Valley School District 61-8 | Elementary | 51.8% | +1.4pp |
| 174 | Plankinton Elementary - 02 Plankinton · Plankinton School District 01-1 | Elementary | 51.8% | +1.4pp |
| 175 | Lincoln Elementary - 04 Yankton · Yankton School District 63-3 | Elementary | 51.7% | +1.3pp |
| 176 | Sturgis Williams Middle School - 02 Sturgis · Meade School District 46-1 | Middle | 51.7% | +1.3pp |
| 177 | Lawrence Elementary - 02 Canton · Canton School District 41-1 | Elementary | 51.6% | +1.2pp |
| 178 | Philip Elementary - 02 Philip · Haakon School District 27-1 | Elementary | 51.6% | +1.2pp |
| 179 | Tri-Valley Intermediate School - 03 Colton · Tri-Valley School District 49-6 | Middle | 51.6% | +1.2pp |
| 180 | Freeman Elementary - 02 Freeman · Freeman School District 33-1 | Elementary | 51.5% | +1.1pp |
| 181 | Onida Elementary - 04 Onida · Agar-Blunt-Onida School District 58-3 | Elementary | 51.3% | +0.9pp |
| 182 | Stanley County Elementary - 08 Fort Pierre · Stanley County School District 57-1 | Elementary | 51.3% | +0.9pp |
| 183 | Wakpala Elementary - 02 Wakpala · Smee School District 15-3 | Elementary | 51.3% | +0.9pp |
| 184 | Viborg-Hurley Elementary - 02 Viborg · Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6 | Elementary | 51.2% | +0.8pp |
| 185 | Newell Elementary - 02 Newell · Newell School District 09-2 | Elementary | 51.1% | +0.7pp |
| 186 | Stewart Elementary - 05 Yankton · Yankton School District 63-3 | Elementary | 51.1% | +0.7pp |
| 187 | Armour Middle School - 03 Armour · Armour School District 21-1 | Middle | 51.0% | +0.6pp |
| 188 | Medary Elementary - 05 Brookings · Brookings School District 05-1 | Elementary | 50.7% | +0.3pp |
| 189 | Chamberlain Jr. High - 02 Chamberlain · Chamberlain School District 07-1 | Middle | 50.5% | +0.1pp |
| 190 | West Middle School - 37 Rapid City · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Middle | 50.4% | +0.0pp |
| 191 | Camelot Intermediate - 06 Brookings · Brookings School District 05-1 | Elementary | 50.3% | -0.1pp |
| 192 | Robert Frost Elementary - 18 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 50.3% | -0.1pp |
| 193 | Stagebarn Middle School - 10 Summerset · Meade School District 46-1 | Middle | 50.2% | -0.2pp |
| 194 | George S. Mickelson Middle School - 02 Brookings · Brookings School District 05-1 | Middle | 50.1% | -0.3pp |
| 195 | Avon Middle School - 05 Avon · Avon School District 04-1 | Middle | 50.0% | -0.4pp |
| 196 | Bon Homme Middle School - 02 Tyndall · Bon Homme School District 04-2 | Middle | 50.0% | -0.4pp |
| 197 | Buffalo Elementary - 02 Buffalo · Harding County School District 31-1 | Elementary | 50.0% | -0.4pp |
| 198 | Faith Elementary - 02 Faith · Faith School District 46-2 | Elementary | 50.0% | -0.4pp |
| 199 | Menno Middle School - 05 Menno · Menno School District 33-2 | Middle | 50.0% | -0.4pp |
| 200 | Newell Middle School - 04 Newell · Newell School District 09-2 | Middle | 50.0% | -0.4pp |
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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.