2024 Best Public High Schools in South Dakota

• Mitchell School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  81 reviews

Alum: The staff is as supportive as they can be, but there is still room for improvement, as there always is. Academically they set you up for success in the best way, hence I will graduate college a year early!... Read 81 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 916

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Brandon Valley School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  234 reviews

Senior: My school has so many opportunities for a variety of career choices that help you figure out your future early. My school prides them self with testing high every year for state testing, which I think benefits the level of education you are given. If you have different struggles the teachers and administrators want to see you succeed and will help you any way they can. Having classes for all people's interests and being able to start any club that you want also helps with involvement in school.... Read 234 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,306

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Platte-Geddes School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  6 reviews

Senior: My exsperence at Platte-Geddes High school was good. The teachers where very kind and supportive exspecally when assinments were difficult and hard to understand. One thing I like to see change is when a group of students did something wrong, don't blame it on the whole body of students. Its not everyone's fault when a certain group choose to make a bad choice.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 125

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Mobridge-Pollock School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.7 out of 5  30 reviews

Niche User: Our science teachers are great about offer extra science activities throughout the year in which we complete in competitions. We are involved in Robotics and SMARTS challenge. I personally am involved in both of them because they area great, fun learned experience.... Read 30 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 202

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Sioux Falls School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  250 reviews

Senior: Crowded hallways, short passing periods, and packed parking lots would be the main negative aspects about my school. However, my schools environment is very welcoming. The teachers and most students are accepting of others and supportive in helping one another. The best part of my high school experience is participating on the girls soccer team. This activity has brought me lots of long time friends and memories which I will be forever grateful for.... Read 250 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,898

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Parkston School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  28 reviews

Sophomore: Parkston High School may be small, but the availability of academic growth and extracurricular opportunities have been HUGE! Online and Dual Credit course offerings provide a wide range of educational experiences. Working one-on-one with teachers who are invested in student success has been incredibly beneficial in helping me reach my goals. In addition, Parkston High School offers a variety of extracurricular activities that have allowed me to develop my career path, leadership, and public speaking skills, as well as teamwork, responsibility, data collection, and analysis. These skills and experiences will benefit me throughout my life. Parkston, being a small school, provides a sense of community where all students know each other well, which fosters a sense of belonging and makes it easier for students to form meaningful relationships with their peers and teachers. Parkston High School has been the perfect fit for me. I can't imagine attending high school anywhere else!... Read 28 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 142

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Sioux Valley School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  48 reviews

Senior: For South Dakota the school, staff, and facilities are very excellent in the area. The atmosphere and environment is very uplifting. Students all get along in the school in which no person ever feels left out. But most of all the teachers are the best part of the school. They make every students days much easier and full of enjoyment. In the amount of schools I have been to, I have never been so engaged and eager to learn in each class throughout the day.... Read 48 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 197

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Sioux Falls School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.13 out of 5  331 reviews

Alum: Washington High School was a great place to go to high school at. It has one of the most diverse groups of people at in the Midwest. If I remember correctly, there are over 30 languages spoken at Washington High School on a daily basis. The people there are nice. There's a lot of different options as a student there to get involved within the community. There's tons of different student clubs you can join ranging from the arts to DECA to quiz bowl to yoga club and many more! They have a lot of opportunity to take challenging classes that will help you succeed in the academic realm as well. I took a lot of AP classes that gave me college credits once I graduated. I highly recommend either those or dual credit courses you can take through the school to anyone looking to further their education once they graduate high school. One thing they took pride in is trying to get all students to graduate within the four years expected of high school students.... Read 331 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,873

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Wagner Community School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.21 out of 5  14 reviews

Senior: Wagner High School is a wonderful place for children and teenagers to seek education. The staff of the School are helpful and easygoing. They assist you with school work, such as when I had problems with Mathematics and all that I had to do was ask for assistance from one of my teachers. The staff also helps with occasional outside school problems such as the time I had a flat tire and the office called my current teacher to have them inform me of the problem. These are only a few of my personal experiences with the staff at Wagner High School. They are understanding and help; Excellent examples of how an educator should act toward students.... Read 14 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 196

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Sioux Falls School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.95 out of 5  420 reviews

Alum: I took the hardest classes I could throughout all 4 years of high school. Since I graduated this year, I have yet to experience college. However, high school to me was quite exciting. Going to class everyday inspired me to learn as much as I could. The teachers are great at teaching and are amazing mentors. I enjoyed not just the academics, but also events that the school hosted and the extracurriculars that school made available. I participated in clubs such as DECA, HOSA, SALSA, Track, Student Council, Chess Club, Spanish Club, NHS, SNHS, and NHD, where I made many life-long friends. And events such as Homecoming and formal allowed me to embrace school spirit! Going to Roosevelt High School enabled me to find my purpose in life and I could never really imagine going to a different high school.... Read 420 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,803

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Dakota Valley School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  46 reviews

Senior: I think my experience thus far at Dakota Valley High School has been very good. The athletics and school facilities are very nice and the staff do a very good job of keeping it clean. The students here are very nice and everyone is welcoming. The teachers are willing to stay after school, or come early if a student needs help within their school work. I have had no issues involving safety as they are very prominent about those situations. I am glad to have been enrolled in this school district since elementary school as it will forever hold a place in my heart. The memories and friends you make just doing little things throughout your high school career here at Dakota Valley is something I'll never forget.... Read 46 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 433

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Freeman School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.25 out of 5  24 reviews

Senior: We have very dedicated teachers, that are more than willing to help out their students. Unfortunately, due to the small school size and funding, we are limited on the number of teachers, and put a lot of pressure on our current, amazing teachers.... Read 24 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 82

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Rapid City Area School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  285 reviews

Senior: I really enjoyed my time at Stevens because being in a fairly small town, I found that most of my teachers really wanted to get to know me personally and help with my needs. They treated me like an actual human and not just another name on the roster. The only complaint about high school I would say is the cliques, but what high school doesn't have cliques? Oh yes, the homework too! Maybe that's just the seniorities talking. But for real, I was always pushed to do my very best throughout my high school years and I am so grateful to have received any sort of education. I am so ready for the amazing experiences college is going to bring though and I know it is going to be ten times better than high school!... Read 285 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 1,726

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Pierre School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.66 out of 5  191 reviews

Senior: Overall T.F. Riggs High school as been a pretty great experience. The teachers typically have students best interest in mind and truly value our education. We have a variety of classes and can always be intellectually stimulated. Sports are defiantly valued over the arts in out school, which needs to change. Even so, we still have a relatively good music program. Our school is always clean thanks to our amazing janitors and faculty, and the school makes sure to update our technology and supplies ever few years. Every school has its faults, but even so T.F. Riggs has been a great experience and I am very happy I have had the opportunity to attend this school.... Read 191 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 854

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Hamlin School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  25 reviews

Alum: I loved Hamlin! I was worried about being "ready for college" but I have found that my teachers prepared me very well. I was more prepared than many others at my university. Hamlin continues to grow and expand educational opportunities through CTE classes. Hamlin provides great athletics as well as academics, something that was very special about my time at Hamlin. Now, my brothers are participating in sports there, and I love to continue to be a part of the community through them. This past year, the girls basketball team won the state tournament and the boys placed third. I loved participating in choir when I was at Hamlin. The musical department is where I would like to see improvement at Hamlin. Music is a great way for kids to get involved at the school and is a lifelong hobby as well.... Read 25 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 225

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Haakon School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  31 reviews

Parent: Philip High School is a wonderful place of education, and I enjoy having our girl attend the. For a small town Philip offers a good variety of sports, activities, groups, and opportunities. We are lucky to have such a great school system in our rural area.... Read 31 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 95

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Lyman School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.56 out of 5  9 reviews

Alum: For the most part, the school is good. Discipline could be stronger. Students at this school love sports. The band program is consistently successful winning awards at different competitions. For being a small school, they offer a lot of things such as competitive cheer, cross country, football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, wrestling, track, and golf.... Read 9 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 94

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Howard School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.89 out of 5  9 reviews

Senior: It’s a very good school! The school has a very good learning curriculum with amazing teachers and staff. Mostly everybody is friendly but everyone is willing to help one another. I joined Howard’s School in 4th grade which I am now a senior and it’s been a grade experience at this school! There are many sports and activities for kids to do and be in as well! Overall, a great school!... Read 9 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 106

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Hill City School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.79 out of 5  24 reviews

Senior: My overall experience with Hill City High School has been great. As I have gone through my high school years I have gotten to take multiple classes that will benefit me in the future. As a Sophomore and Junior I took multiple math classes and science classes. Those years I was also offered to take multiple dual credit courses. I took those opportunities and now as a senior I get to take classes that are more "real life" such as welding and carpentry which will benefit me greatly in the future with the career that I have chosen. I have enjoyed being a student-athlete here and learning important skills for life.... Read 24 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 170

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Brookings School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  172 reviews

Junior: I am part of the football hockey and tennis team and I play cello for the orchestra I think overall activities are great. I would like to see the school to start cracking down on the drugs at school. I would also like to see them fix and open up the 3 bathrooms that are closed, but overall it's a pretty good school only a few bad teachers but many good ones.... Read 172 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 999

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Parker School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 2.96 out of 5  28 reviews

Sophomore: I enjoy the teachers. They give great feedback in academics and they really challenge you to go above and beyond. The school has a wide variety of opportunities for each student that maximize the students potentials. One thing I would like to see changed is how relaxed the school is on behaviors. If a student curses or fights or does something else to merritt punishment, they should receive a punishment that teaches the student to respect their teachers and classmates.... Read 28 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 154

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Gregory School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  14 reviews

Junior: Gregory is a great place, the teachers are very kind and open to helping you in every way. There are plenty of sports to play and to watch. There is a diverse personality range for everyone to fit in somewhere. The music programs are amazing.... Read 14 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 112

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Clark School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  30 reviews

Freshman: This school is amazing in academics, sports, and other extracurricular activities! No one is afraid to place you into an AP class as long as you feel you can undergo it! There are three programs: AOF, TEACH, and AMSAT. Teach relates to becoming a teacher, AOF is related to finance, and AMSAT is an overall for math and science.... Read 30 reviews

• grade B

• Students 105

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Spearfish School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  158 reviews

Junior: I am going into my third year at SHS and so far it has been a good experience. Many of the teachers I have had are very passionate about making sure that you are getting the education you need to succeed. And they also care about how you are doing through the process. I definitely recommend having good communication with the teachers here, when I didn’t I struggled academically because I was to scared to ask questions about what we were learning, but once I started to ask questions and communicate that I was confused many of the teachers would walk me through what we were learning and explain it to me so I would understand it fully so I could complete the assignment/project. I also like that there are many sports, and creative things to be involved in at SHS, there’s something for everyone. Now, I didn’t give a full 5 stars because it’s not the most perfect school in the world. There are some less enthusiastic teachers, some very strict teachers, etc. But overall SHS is really good!... Read 158 reviews

• grade B

• Students 751

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Chamberlain School District, SD•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.43 out of 5  28 reviews

Senior: It has been good nice teachers that know how to help and respect their students. It would be a excellent but it changed because of the poor equal treatment of the students. It is a nice school, but only if you don't get caught up in the drama/ rumors that go around the school.... Read 28 reviews

• grade B

• Students 260

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1