South Dakota Education Statistics 2026: Schools, Enrollment & Spending
South Dakota combines a small statewide student population with a wide public district network and separate non-public, Tribal/BIE, special-population, cooperative, and state-operated providers. The 2025–26 fall census reports 138,861 public PK–12 students across 147 public districts.
Finance figures use the latest Census school-finance release, covering FY2024. Current spending was $12,828 per pupil, and federal sources supplied 19.4% of public school-system revenue. Each measure is labeled by academic year, fiscal year, or graduating class.
South Dakota Education Statistics
The latest available official periods are shown rather than treating every measure as a calendar-year 2026 value.
Public Enrollment Movement Since 2019
South Dakota public PK–12 fall enrollment, 2019–20 through 2025–26
Enrollment reached 141,429 in 2022–23 and then declined for three consecutive school years, ending at 138,861 in 2025–26.
Recent enrollment direction
- The latest count is 1,726 students lower than 2024–25, a decline of 1.2%.
- The 2025–26 total is 2,568 below the 2022–23 peak.
- Enrollment is 581 below the 2019–20 level, a net change of about -0.4%.
Public Enrollment by School Year
The table uses the South Dakota Department of Education public district PK–12 fall census files. District counts follow the state enrollment-file definition.
| School year | Public districts | PK–12 enrollment | Annual change | Annual change (%) | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | 149 | 139,442 | — | — | Baseline |
| 2020–21 | 149 | 139,154 | -288 | -0.2% | Decrease |
| 2021–22 | 149 | 140,826 | +1,672 | 1.2% | Increase |
| 2022–23 | 149 | 141,429 | +603 | 0.4% | Increase |
| 2023–24 | 148 | 141,005 | -424 | -0.3% | Decrease |
| 2024–25 | 148 | 140,587 | -418 | -0.3% | Decrease |
| 2025–26 | 147 | 138,861 | -1,726 | -1.2% | Decrease |
Longer-term enrollment pattern
- The seven-year series contains both growth and decline rather than a single uninterrupted direction.
- The largest annual gain was 1,672 students in 2021–22.
- The public district count moved from 149 to 147 across the displayed period.
School and District Reporting Coverage
Federal operating counts and state fall-enrollment counts answer different questions. Both are retained so the school and district totals are not presented as interchangeable.
| Measure | Count | Period | Source | Coverage note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating public schools | 706 | 2024–25 | NCES CCD | All operating public schools reported at the start of the school year |
| Public school enrollment records | 659 | 2025–26 | South Dakota DOE | Public school rows carrying fall enrollment in the state census file |
| Operating public districts/LEAs | 165 | 2024–25 | NCES CCD | Broader federal operating-district and LEA definition |
| Public districts with fall enrollment | 147 | 2025–26 | South Dakota DOE | State public district enrollment file |
Why the counts differ
- NCES reports 706 operating public schools, while the newer state file contains 659 public school enrollment records.
- The NCES district/LEA count includes a broader set of operating agencies than the state public district enrollment file.
Enrollment Across South Dakota School Systems
The 2025–26 state census separates public, non-public private, Tribal/BIE, special-population, cooperative, alternative, community-based, and state special-school records.
| System type | Reporting entities | School records | PK–12 enrollment | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public | 147 | 659 | 138,861 | 89.63% |
| Non-public private | 49 | 85 | 10,487 | 6.77% |
| Tribal/BIE | 19 | 38 | 5,072 | 3.27% |
| Special population | 5 | 7 | 271 | 0.17% |
| Coop/multi-district | 3 | 11 | 175 | 0.11% |
| Community-based service providers | 8 | 8 | 26 | 0.02% |
| Alternative schools | 2 | 3 | 19 | 0.01% |
| State special schools | 1 | 2 | 22 | 0.01% |
| Total | 234 | 813 | 154,933 | 100.00% |
Separate system coverage
- Public districts account for 89.63% of the 154,933 students represented across all listed categories.
- Non-public private records account for 10,487 students, or 6.77%.
- Tribal/BIE records account for 5,072 students across 38 school records; these students are not folded into the state public district total.
Public District Size Distribution
Number of public districts in each 2025–26 enrollment band
Most public districts enroll fewer than 500 students, while a small group of large systems serves a much larger share of statewide enrollment.
| District size | Districts | Students | Enrollment share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 250 | 40 | 6,896 | 5.0% |
| 250–499 | 56 | 19,610 | 14.1% |
| 500–999 | 27 | 18,636 | 13.4% |
| 1,000–4,999 | 20 | 45,234 | 32.6% |
| 5,000+ | 4 | 48,485 | 34.9% |
| Total | 147 | 138,861 | 100.0% |
District size distribution
- 96 districts enroll fewer than 500 students, but together serve only 19.1% of public enrollment.
- The four districts with at least 5,000 students serve 34.9% of public enrollment.
- Median district enrollment is 368, compared with an average of about 945; the gap reflects concentration in several large systems.
Largest Public Districts in 2025–26
The 15 largest public districts are shown as a concentration module rather than as a full district ranking.
| Rank | District | 2025–26 | 2024–25 | Change | State share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sioux Falls 49-5 | 24,841 | 25,060 | -219 | 17.9% |
| 2 | Rapid City Area 51-4 | 12,040 | 12,313 | -273 | 8.7% |
| 3 | Harrisburg 41-2 | 6,398 | 6,222 | +176 | 4.6% |
| 4 | Brandon Valley 49-2 | 5,206 | 5,115 | +91 | 3.7% |
| 5 | Aberdeen 06-1 | 4,134 | 4,237 | -103 | 3.0% |
| 6 | Brookings 05-1 | 3,483 | 3,546 | -63 | 2.5% |
| 7 | Watertown 14-4 | 3,425 | 3,606 | -181 | 2.5% |
| 8 | Huron 02-2 | 3,042 | 3,079 | -37 | 2.2% |
| 9 | Yankton 63-3 | 2,973 | 3,021 | -48 | 2.1% |
| 10 | Meade 46-1 | 2,957 | 3,047 | -90 | 2.1% |
| 11 | Douglas 51-1 | 2,899 | 2,808 | +91 | 2.1% |
| 12 | Pierre 32-2 | 2,626 | 2,749 | -123 | 1.9% |
| 13 | Mitchell 17-2 | 2,581 | 2,628 | -47 | 1.9% |
| 14 | Tea Area 41-5 | 2,514 | 2,509 | +5 | 1.8% |
| 15 | Spearfish 40-2 | 2,301 | 2,398 | -97 | 1.7% |
Enrollment concentration
- Sioux Falls alone accounts for 17.9% of statewide public enrollment.
- The five largest districts serve 37.9% of public students; the 15 listed districts serve 58.6%.
- Among the five largest districts, Harrisburg and Brandon Valley grew from 2024–25, while Sioux Falls, Rapid City Area, and Aberdeen declined.
Enrollment by Grade
Grade-level counts show where the 2025–26 decline occurred and separate prekindergarten from the K–12 total.
| Grade | 2025–26 | 2024–25 | Change | Public enrollment share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prekindergarten | 3,284 | 3,274 | +10 | 2.4% |
| Kindergarten | 10,954 | 11,383 | -429 | 7.9% |
| Grade 1 | 9,847 | 10,250 | -403 | 7.1% |
| Grade 2 | 10,201 | 10,521 | -320 | 7.3% |
| Grade 3 | 10,527 | 10,706 | -179 | 7.6% |
| Grade 4 | 10,724 | 10,256 | +468 | 7.7% |
| Grade 5 | 10,314 | 10,522 | -208 | 7.4% |
| Grade 6 | 10,575 | 10,624 | -49 | 7.6% |
| Grade 7 | 10,493 | 10,432 | +61 | 7.6% |
| Grade 8 | 10,435 | 10,486 | -51 | 7.5% |
| Grade 9 | 11,041 | 11,424 | -383 | 8.0% |
| Grade 10 | 10,660 | 10,733 | -73 | 7.7% |
| Grade 11 | 9,842 | 10,031 | -189 | 7.1% |
| Grade 12 | 9,964 | 9,945 | +19 | 7.2% |
Grade-level movement
- Kindergarten recorded the largest numerical decline, falling by 429 students.
- Grade 4 posted the largest increase, adding 468 students.
- Grade 9 remains the largest single K–12 grade cohort at 11,041 students.
Revenue Mix Compared With the U.S.
Federal, state, and local shares of public elementary-secondary school-system revenue in FY2024
South Dakota relies more heavily on federal and local revenue than the national school-system mix, while its state revenue share is lower.
Federal funding share
- Federal sources supplied 19.4% of South Dakota revenue, compared with 11.6% nationally.
- Local sources supplied 49.9%, while state sources supplied 30.7%.
- The shares describe revenue origin; they do not identify the programs or student groups receiving each dollar.
South Dakota School Finance Summary
Amounts are nominal FY2024 dollars. Census source tables report totals in thousands of dollars; displayed values are converted to millions or billions.
| Measure | Amount | Finance group | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue | $2.321B | Revenue | 100.0% |
| Federal revenue | $451.3M | Revenue | 19.4% |
| State revenue | $712.5M | Revenue | 30.7% |
| Local revenue | $1.158B | Revenue | 49.9% |
| Total expenditures | $2.465B | Expenditure | 100.0% |
| Current spending | $1.838B | Expenditure | 74.5% |
| Capital outlay | $572.9M | Expenditure | 23.2% |
| Other expenditures | $54.6M | Expenditure | 2.2% |
| Debt outstanding | $1.336B | Balance sheet | — |
| Cash and securities | $1.510B | Balance sheet | — |
Revenue and expenditure structure
- Total public school-system revenue was $2.321 billion, while total expenditures were $2.465 billion.
- Current spending represented 74.5% of total expenditures; capital outlay represented 23.2%.
- Debt outstanding at the end of FY2024 was $1.336 billion.
Current Spending by Function
Instruction, support-service functions, and other current operations sum to the FY2024 current-spending total of $1.838 billion.
| Current spending function | Amount | Share of current spending |
|---|---|---|
| Instruction | $1.063B | 57.8% |
| Student support services | $112.6M | 6.1% |
| Instructional staff support | $66.1M | 3.6% |
| General administration | $63.4M | 3.5% |
| School administration | $89.3M | 4.9% |
| Operations and maintenance | $188.1M | 10.2% |
| Student transportation | $70.7M | 3.8% |
| Other/nonspecified support | $69.5M | 3.8% |
| Other current functions | $115.4M | 6.3% |
How current spending is allocated
- Instruction accounts for 57.8% of current spending.
- Operations and maintenance is the largest listed support function at $188.1 million, or 10.2% of current spending.
- Student transportation totals $70.7 million, equal to 3.8% of current spending.
Per-Pupil Spending Position
Current spending per pupil is a daily operating measure. It excludes capital outlay and debt service.
South Dakota
$12,828
FY2024 current spending per pupil
United States
$17,619
FY2024 current spending per pupil
Difference
-$4,791
South Dakota is 27.2% below the U.S. value in nominal dollars
Nominal spending position
- South Dakota ranks 45th-highest among the 50 states and District of Columbia, making it the 7th-lowest jurisdiction in FY2024.
- The comparison is not adjusted for regional prices, district size, transportation distance, or facility costs.
Academic and Staffing Context
Outcome and staffing measures use separate official reporting periods and are included as context rather than as a combined score.
| Indicator | South Dakota | Comparison/change | Period | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher FTE | 10,227 | — | 2024–25 | NCES CCD public schools |
| Pupil/teacher ratio | 13.8 | — | 2024–25 | NCES CCD public schools |
| ELA at grade level | 52% | +1 percentage point | 2024–25 | State report card |
| Math at grade level | 44% | No annual change | 2024–25 | State report card |
| ELA meeting growth target | 56% | +2 percentage points | 2024–25 | State report card |
| Math meeting growth target | 51% | +1 percentage point | 2024–25 | State report card |
| Four-year graduation rate | 86% | +2 percentage points | 2024–25 report card | State cohort measure |
| ACT composite | 21.0 | U.S.: 19.4 | Class of 2025 | Public and non-public graduates who tested |
| ACT participation | 60% | 6,157 test-takers | Class of 2025 | Graduates who took the ACT |
Current outcome context
- ELA grade-level performance reached 52%, while math remained at 44% in the 2024–25 report card.
- The four-year graduation rate rose to 86%, its highest reported level in ten years.
- The class of 2025 posted a 21.0 ACT composite; 60% of graduates took the exam.
Patterns Shaping South Dakota Schools
The profile is shaped by enrollment concentration, many small districts, separate reporting systems, and a funding mix that differs from the national distribution.
Large systems shape the statewide average
Sioux Falls and Rapid City Area together enroll more than one-quarter of public students. Statewide averages therefore reflect a few large systems alongside many small districts.
Small districts remain numerous
Nearly two-thirds of public districts enroll fewer than 500 students. Their combined enrollment share is much smaller than their share of district count.
Tribal/BIE enrollment has separate coverage
Tribal/BIE schools appear in the state all-district census as a distinct category. Combining them with state public district enrollment without a coverage note would create a misleading total.
Total and per-pupil spending answer different questions
Total expenditure reflects system scale and capital activity. Current spending per pupil focuses on operating spending relative to the Census enrollment denominator.
Data Sources and Measurement
South Dakota enrollment
South Dakota Department of Education, Student Enrollment. The 2019 through 2025 fall files provide public district, school, grade, and school-system-type counts.
State enrollment dashboard
South Dakota Department of Education, Enrollment for All Districts. The dashboard separates public, non-public, Tribal/BIE, and other district types.
Schools, districts, teachers, and ratio
NCES Common Core of Data, school year 2024–25. Operating-school and operating-district counts use federal CCD definitions.
School finance
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finance Data. Revenue, expenditure, debt, cash, spending-function, and per-pupil values come from the FY2024 summary tables.
Report card outcomes
South Dakota Department of Education, 2024–25 Report Card release. ELA, math, growth, and graduation figures use state accountability definitions.
ACT results
South Dakota Department of Education, class of 2025 ACT results. The ACT figures cover public and non-public graduates who tested.
Enrollment changes were calculated from unrounded state counts. District size bands and concentration shares use 2025–26 public district PK–12 enrollment. School-system shares use the 154,933 students recorded across every district type in the 2025–26 all-schools census file. Finance percentages were calculated from Census FY2024 totals and rounded to one decimal place. Dollar totals are displayed in millions or billions, while source tables report thousands of dollars.
Enrollment and report-card measures describe school years, ACT measures describe a graduating class, and finance measures describe FY2024. Current spending per pupil also uses the Census finance-survey enrollment denominator, which is not the same as the South Dakota 2025–26 fall enrollment count. These periods and denominators should not be combined into a single-year ratio or used to claim that spending produces a specific outcome.