South Dakota schools ranked by test score
Latest SD Smarter Balanced year (2024-25). 175 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 | Custer Jr. High - 05 Custer · Custer School District 16-1 | Middle | 75.0% | +30.7pp |
| 3 | C C Lee Elementary - 05 Aberdeen · Aberdeen School District 06-1 | Elementary | 71.7% | +27.4pp |
| 4 | Adventure Elementary - 10 Sioux Falls · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Elementary | 69.9% | +25.6pp |
| 5 | Buchanan Elementary - 03 Pierre · Pierre School District 32-2 | Elementary | 69.8% | +25.5pp |
| 6 | Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 Brandon · Brandon Valley School District 49-2 | Middle | 68.2% | +23.9pp |
| 7 | Ipswich Middle School - 04 Ipswich · Ipswich Public School District 22-6 | Middle | 67.7% | +23.4pp |
| 8 | Custer Elementary - 02 Custer · Custer School District 16-1 | Elementary | 66.7% | +22.4pp |
| 9 | Lennox Jr. High - 08 Lennox · Lennox School District 41-4 | Middle | 64.3% | +20.0pp |
| 10 | Milbank Elementary - 03 Milbank · Milbank School District 25-4 | Elementary | 64.2% | +19.9pp |
| 11 | Sonia Sotomayor Elementary - 65 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 64.1% | +19.8pp |
| 12 | Clear Lake Middle School - 04 Clear Lake · Deuel School District 19-4 | Middle | 63.6% | +19.3pp |
| 13 | Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 Dell Rapids · Dell Rapids School District 49-3 | Middle | 62.4% | +18.1pp |
| 14 | Harvey Dunn Elementary - 54 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 61.4% | +17.1pp |
| 15 | Harrisburg South Middle School - 03 Harrisburg · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Middle | 60.3% | +16.0pp |
| 16 | Baltic Elementary - 02 Baltic · Baltic School District 49-1 | Elementary | 60.0% | +15.7pp |
| 17 | Eugene Field A+ Elementary - 16 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 60.0% | +15.7pp |
| 18 | Madison Elementary - 07 Madison · Madison Central School District 39-2 | Elementary | 60.0% | +15.7pp |
| 19 | Patrick Henry Middle School - 07 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Middle | 59.8% | +15.5pp |
| 20 | Harrisburg North Middle School - 08 Sioux Falls · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Middle | 59.0% | +14.7pp |
| 21 | Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 Brandon · Brandon Valley School District 49-2 | Middle | 58.2% | +13.9pp |
| 22 | Baltic Middle School - 03 Baltic · Baltic School District 49-1 | Middle | 58.1% | +13.8pp |
| 23 | Webster Area Middle School - 02 Webster · Webster Area School District 18-5 | Middle | 58.1% | +13.8pp |
| 24 | Mobridge Upper Elementary - 04 Mobridge · Mobridge-Pollock School District 62-6 | Elementary | 58.0% | +13.7pp |
| 25 | Clear Lake Elementary - 02 Clear Lake · Deuel School District 19-4 | Elementary | 57.9% | +13.6pp |
| 26 | Groton Area Middle School - 04 Groton · Groton Area School District 06-6 | Middle | 57.9% | +13.6pp |
| 27 | Platte - Geddes Elementary - 02 Platte · Platte - Geddes School District 11-5 | Elementary | 57.9% | +13.6pp |
| 28 | Hamlin Elementary - 09 Hayti · Hamlin School District 28-3 | Elementary | 57.8% | +13.5pp |
| 29 | Southwest Middle School - 38 Rapid City · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Middle | 57.7% | +13.4pp |
| 30 | Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 Pierre · Pierre School District 32-2 | Middle | 57.3% | +13.0pp |
| 31 | Bon Homme Middle School - 02 Tyndall · Bon Homme School District 04-2 | Middle | 56.8% | +12.5pp |
| 32 | Journey Elementary - 05 Sioux Falls · Harrisburg School District 41-2 | Elementary | 56.7% | +12.4pp |
| 33 | Yankton Middle School - 02 Yankton · Yankton School District 63-3 | Middle | 56.6% | +12.3pp |
| 34 | Corral Drive Elementary - 21 Rapid City · Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Elementary | 56.5% | +12.2pp |
| 35 | Vermillion Middle School - 02 Vermillion · Vermillion School District 13-1 | Middle | 56.0% | +11.7pp |
| 36 | Miller Jr. High - 04 Miller · Miller School District 29-4 | Middle | 55.9% | +11.6pp |
| 37 | Tea Area Middle School - 02 Tea · Tea Area School District 41-5 | Middle | 55.8% | +11.5pp |
| 38 | Elk Point-Jefferson Elementary - 02 Elk Point · Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7 | Elementary | 55.2% | +10.9pp |
| 39 | Memorial Middle School - 04 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Middle | 55.2% | +10.9pp |
| 40 | Beadle Elementary - 03 Yankton · Yankton School District 63-3 | Elementary | 54.7% | +10.4pp |
| 41 | Webster Area Elementary - 03 Webster · Webster Area School District 18-5 | Elementary | 54.6% | +10.3pp |
| 42 | Platte - Geddes Jr. High - 03 Platte · Platte - Geddes School District 11-5 | Middle | 53.3% | +9.0pp |
| 43 | Elk Point-Jefferson Middle School - 03 Elk Point · Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7 | Middle | 53.2% | +8.9pp |
| 44 | John F. Kennedy Elementary - 57 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 53.1% | +8.8pp |
| 45 | Miller Elementary - 02 Miller · Miller School District 29-4 | Elementary | 52.9% | +8.6pp |
| 46 | Robert Frost Elementary - 18 Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | Elementary | 51.7% | +7.4pp |
| 47 | Creekside Elementary - 07 Spearfish · Spearfish School District 40-2 | Elementary | 51.5% | +7.2pp |
| 48 | Dakota Valley Middle School - 03 North Sioux City · Dakota Valley School District 61-8 | Middle | 51.4% | +7.1pp |
| 49 | Stanley County Middle School - 02 Fort Pierre · Stanley County School District 57-1 | Middle | 51.4% | +7.1pp |
| 50 | Watertown Intermediate School - 13 Watertown · Watertown School District 14-4 | Middle | 51.2% | +6.9pp |
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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.