Best schools in South Dakota (2025)
The top five of 649 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index (US), built only from official American data.
South Dakota has 649 schools educating 138,978 students in 2025: 649 public.
The median Enrollment across South Dakota is 107. Students enrolled in the latest NCES directory year.
Browse every school in South Dakota →
Best elementary schools in South Dakota
Schools classified as elementary by NCES.
Warner Elementary - 02
Warner · Public elementary · Grades K–5
145 students
Dell Rapids Elementary - 02
Dell Rapids · Public elementary · Grades K–4
355 students
West Elementary - 03
Spearfish · Public elementary · Grades 1–2
322 students
Challenge Center - 51
Sioux Falls · Public elementary · Grades 2–5
165 students
Canistota Elementary - 02
Canistota · Public elementary · Grades PK–5
141 students
Best middle schools in South Dakota
Schools classified as middle schools by NCES.
Harrisburg East Middle School - 11
Sioux Falls · Public middle · Grades 6–8
428 students
Timber Lake Middle School - 03
Timber Lake · Public middle · Grades 6–8
70 students
Warner Middle School - 03
Warner · Public middle · Grades 6–8
83 students
Southwest Middle School - 38
Rapid City · Public middle · Grades 6–8
614 students
Harrisburg South Middle School - 03
Harrisburg · Public middle · Grades 6–8
519 students
Best high schools in South Dakota
Schools classified as high schools by NCES.
Chester High School - 01
Chester · Public high · Grades 9–12
107 students
Hamlin High School - 01
Hayti · Public high · Grades 9–12
226 students
Arlington High School - 01
Arlington · Public high · Grades 9–12
76 students
Ethan High School - 01
Ethan · Public high · Grades 9–12
93 students
Groton Area High School - 01
Groton · Public high · Grades 9–12
168 students
Best traditional public schools in South Dakota
District-run public schools.
Warner Elementary - 02
Warner · Public elementary · Grades K–5
145 students
Dell Rapids Elementary - 02
Dell Rapids · Public elementary · Grades K–4
355 students
West Elementary - 03
Spearfish · Public elementary · Grades 1–2
322 students
Challenge Center - 51
Sioux Falls · Public elementary · Grades 2–5
165 students
Canistota Elementary - 02
Canistota · Public elementary · Grades PK–5
141 students
Best schools by math proficiency in South Dakota
Schools ranked by the share of tested students proficient or above in math on the state assessment (EDFacts, all students), for schools with 30 or more tested students.
Challenge Center - 51
Sioux Falls · Public elementary · Grades 2–5
165 students
Canistota Elementary - 02
Canistota · Public elementary · Grades PK–5
141 students
Warner Elementary - 02
Warner · Public elementary · Grades K–5
145 students
Dell Rapids Elementary - 02
Dell Rapids · Public elementary · Grades K–4
355 students
Gettysburg Middle School - 03
Gettysburg · Public middle · Grades 6–8
54 students
Best schools by reading proficiency in South Dakota
Schools ranked by the share of tested students proficient or above in reading/language arts (EDFacts, all students).
Challenge Center - 51
Sioux Falls · Public elementary · Grades 2–5
165 students
Hamlin High School - 01
Hayti · Public high · Grades 9–12
226 students
Frederick Area Middle School - 03
Frederick · Public middle · Grades 6–8
30 students
Warner Elementary - 02
Warner · Public elementary · Grades K–5
145 students
Stevens High School - 42
Rapid City · Public high · Grades 9–12
1,771 students
Best lowest student–teacher ratio in South Dakota
Schools with the fewest students per FTE teacher, among schools with at least 100 students.
Lincoln Elementary - 08
Aberdeen · Public elementary · Grades PK–5
233 students
Oldham-Ramona-Rutland Elementary
Rutland · Public elementary · Grades PK–5
116 students
McLaughlin High School - 01
McLaughlin · Public high · Grades 9–12
155 students
Bennett County High School - 01
Martin · Public high · Grades 9–12
125 students
Lead-Deadwood Elementary - 03
Deadwood · Public elementary · Grades K–5
243 students
Best largest schools in South Dakota
Schools with the highest enrollment.
Central High School - 41
Rapid City · Public high · Grades 9–12
1,998 students
Lincoln High School - 02
Sioux Falls · Public high · Grades 9–12
1,954 students
Jefferson High School - 67
Sioux Falls · Public high · Grades 9–12
1,888 students
Washington High School - 01
Sioux Falls · Public high · Grades 9–12
1,819 students
Harrisburg High School - 01
Harrisburg · Public high · Grades 9–12
1,806 students
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best elementary school in South Dakota?
Warner Elementary - 02 in Warner ranks first among elementary schools in South Dakota with a Success Index (US) of 92.2 out of 100 (Enrollment: 145).
How are elementary schools in South Dakota ranked?
Each school's Success Index (US) combines 4 factors: math proficiency (30%), reading proficiency (30%), community advantage (fewer free/reduced-price lunch) (25%), students per teacher (15%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type across United States. Schools with fewer than 60 students are excluded from rankings.
Are these 2025 rankings official?
No. They are computed by Success Tutoring from official American data (Urban Institute Education Data Portal (NCES CCD, EDFacts); NCES Common Core of Data). States set their own assessments and proficiency cut scores, so proficiency rates are most comparable within a state. Use the state rankings for like-for-like comparisons.