2024 Best School Districts in South Dakota

• Bonesteel, SD•

• School District

• grade A+

• Total schools 2

• Students 75

• Brandon, SD•

• School District

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  Rating 4.39 out of 5  74 reviews

Senior: The community at this school district is amazing. Especially BVHS, the teachers are so welcoming. The teachers make an effort to make all their students feel welcomed. We also have lots of inclusive clubs and sports teams. Our faculty helps every student and helps students with the decisions they make and their future. We rank among the top in academics in the state.... Read 74 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 12

• Students 4,901

• Big Stone City, SD•

• School District

• grade A minus

• Total schools 3

• Students 93

• Warner, SD•

• School District

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  Rating 5 out of 5  4 reviews

Alum: Warner is a great school. I'm glad I had the opportunity to spend my entire k-12 there. The teachers were great and friends were easy to come by. Everyone had the opportunity to learn the way they needed to learn. Teachers care about their students and help everyone learn the way they need to learn. Sports were big in warner and everyone got the opportunity to play even if they weren't the best.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 3

• Students 315

• Timber Lake, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Senior: Timber Lake School is a small school in a town with a population of about 500 people. There are a little over 100 students within our high school. Overall, the teachers are very caring and want you to learn. There is a low teacher-to-student ratio so you will get quality one-on-one learning. There are many all-school activities including homecoming, along with many other events they create throughout the year.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 3

• Students 351

• North Sioux City, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.25 out of 5  12 reviews

Senior: Dakota Valley has always had a great culture surrounding it, from students to parents. For the most part, students are respectful; a small minority, though, are inconsiderate toward the school facilities, teachers, administration, and other staff. Some should become appreciate of the many opportunities Dakota Valley presents them.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 4

• Students 1,373

• Mitchell, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  13 reviews

Alum: With the Mitchell School District, I was able to get an amazing education and participate in team sports. My best experiences were the life-long friends that I made while I was in the Mitchell School District. The worst part of my experience was not having readily available facilities for our academics and athletics. The high school that I attended was very run-down and not equal to facilities in surrounding towns. I would like to see a new school built and a better athletic facility provided for every student-athlete.... Read 13 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 9

• Students 2,729

• Parkston, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.56 out of 5  9 reviews

Senior: I like the teachers at the Parkston School District. When I started taking dual credits, I realized how lucky I am to have teachers in my school district who actually help you understand concepts and standards. When I started to take dual credits, I noticed how teachers would ignore my emails, or they would not give me good feedback. That's when I noticed that I have amazing teachers in my school. Granted it is easier to ignore people when you do it on the Internet, but any one of my face-to-face teacher could have simply sent me away when I came to them for help. I am so grateful to have such great staff with whom I have built a real connection with over the past 11 years. I would not be the smart girl that I am today without their guidance and love. Not only does our staff help us academically, but they are always there if someone needs a shoulder to cry on. My personal favorite thing about my teacher is how I can interact and joke around with them. They make school feel like home.... Read 9 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 7

• Students 549

• Dell Rapids, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.36 out of 5  14 reviews

Junior: My favorite thing about Dell Rapids High School is how accommodating the faculty has been. I suffer from a severe, debilitating autoimmune disorder known as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, POTS for short. The school has been very understanding and accommodating to my needs, and I could not be more grateful! There is no doubt in my mind that the teachers want to see me succeed. I would recommend this school district to anyone in the area!... Read 14 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 3

• Students 985

• Platte, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  6 reviews

Alum: Platte-Geddes is a small-town school district with a ton of potential. It is a great school that challenges their students to be the best they can be. The teachers are very helpful and friendly, you do not even need to be in their class to go in and ask questions. Because the school is so small, you know everyone, and there are many different school activities to be involved in. The guidance counselor is very helpful with Dual Credit information, scholarships, and anything else you may need. She is very good at her job, and she helped me apply for many scholarships my senior year. If I could change anything about Platte-Geddes, it would be their fine arts drama/speech department. This is a weak spot in their extra-curricular activities because they only have one play offered a year with little to no budget for costumes. They also do not have a speech/debate opportunity which was something I wanted to do during my high school career. Overall, I loved my time at Platte-Geddes.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 7

• Students 499

• Sioux Falls, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  144 reviews

Senior: The Sioux Falls School District has prepared me very well for college and further schooling! Every year I felt welcomed in every one of the four schools I went to. When I rode the bus in elementary school and middle school, the busses were almost always on time. The only thing I would say the district needs to work on would be the discrepancy between some schools. Lincoln High School seems much nicer than Washington, probably because Washington is older.... Read 144 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 45

• Students 24,957

• Ramona, SD•

• School District

• grade A minus

• Total schools 5

• Students 158

• Hill City, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.56 out of 5  9 reviews

Senior: Hill City School District has given me every opportunity to grow as I can throughout my school-wide career. Through elementary PIPTO (Parent Involvement: Parent Teacher Organization) Science Fairs and Literacy Nights, AP Classes and Dual Enrollment Classes, and extracurriculars, I have grown to be an exceptionally well-rounded student. The teachers are well educated and always willing to help their students, and the administrative team has been willing to work with the student body to make the environment welcoming and safe. They have done an exceptional job preparing me for further education. My only criticisms are that we don't have as much career exploration as I would have liked and we have recently had a hard time finding new teachers. I have been able to do more than I ever imagined I could through this school and will always be grateful everyone here.... Read 9 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 3

• Students 502

• Faulkton, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Senior: Overall, the staff at Faulkton High take the time to know the students and their learning styles to see what best methods fits the kid not the grade. The only down side is that I wish they gave more diverse subjects of interest such as Soccer or more foreign languages like German, Russian or Sign Language.... Read 1 review

• grade B+

• Total schools 7

• Students 383

• Mount Vernon, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Senior: I have been at this school since seventh grade. The teachers are easy to understand and talk to. High School students with a 3.0 GPA or higher are allowed to use intensives to get lunch off school grounds or go home for a study-hall. Mount Vernon High School is full of activities to get students involved and social.... Read 4 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 3

• Students 271

• Harrisburg, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.09 out of 5  32 reviews

Senior: I overall have really enjoyed my years in the Harrisburg school district. I have had great teachers that care about their students and are hands-on. The school has a variety of resources to help students learn, including computers or iPads for each student in High School and Middle School to use and take home. They offer different programs to meet learners needs, including Traditional ways and Customizable ways. These options go across the entire district and also include tiger reserve and advanced programs. The high school offers a variety of AP and College course, and after being involved in Tiger Reserve, advanced classes, and AP and college classes I feel very prepared for college. The school are extremely nice and our classroom have supplies to help our students expand their learning. Our sports teams do a great job and our social environment is safe and enjoyable. Overall my experience in Harrisburg's school district has been a positive one.... Read 32 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 10

• Students 5,737

• Eureka, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Senior: I like that the school is smaller and allows the teachers to be more hands on in teaching. There aren't as many kids for the teachers to try and help so every student gets the help they need. The only thing I don't like is that the classes are a little bit too small. My class only has twelve people so it makes it harder to make friends in this school. ... Read 1 review

• grade B+

• Total schools 3

• Students 165

• Ethan, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Senior: It is a fantastic school with caring staff and a close-knit student body. Your teachers know you personally and will help you every step of the way during your courses.... Read 3 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 3

• Students 291

• Canistota, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Senior: I have really enjoyed the small class sizes and the teachers willing to help with anything. The one aspect I would like to see changed is the extracurricular focus. This school district is very focused on men's sports, with women's sports close behind, and least of all extracurriculars such as robotics, oral interpretation, various choirs, etc. Other than this, the academic programs are good and the overall community is good.... Read 1 review

• grade B+

• Total schools 3

• Students 264

• Mobridge, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  6 reviews

Senior: The teachers at Mobridge Pollock High School, are very friendly and will help you succeed. The one thing I would change is what they serve for school lunch.... Read 6 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 4

• Students 621

• Corsica, SD•

• School District

• grade B+

• Total schools 3

• Students 290

• Mellette, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.57 out of 5  7 reviews

Senior: I really like the diversity of the classes offered at Northwestern. For a small school we have several extra-curricular activities offered as well, so everyone can get involved in something they are interested in. The teachers are also very knowledgeable and willing to help you at any time. The class sizes are small so you can get the help that you need and you are not just a number here.... Read 7 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 4

• Students 320

• Ipswich, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.73 out of 5  15 reviews

Parent: There’s nowhere else I would rather have my kids enrolled for their K-12 education. Ipswich has amazing, caring teachers and administrators, an athletic program that is second to none, and provides a safe, personalized environment for learning. There is a wonderful assortment of extra curricular activities for all ages and abilities of students. Ipswich school has unending support from the surrounding community, evidenced by the number of people that attend athletic events near and far, and send cards and messages of support and encouragement to our students no matter what the activity. I hope our kids realize what an amazing opportunity they have been given to attend this school!... Read 15 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 6

• Students 449

• Frederick, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Senior: Frederick Area School is a small school. Since Frederick Area School is small, everyone gets to know one another. The small-town feel allows students to know their teachers and get proper time with their teachers.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 3

• Students 174

• Arlington, SD•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Junior: Having moved here my freshmen year, I was quickly accepted into Arlington culture. It’s very easy to make friends as there is a little bit of everything for friends. That being said, there are some downsides. For example, sports, being fairly average, are highly funded while the arts are extremely underfunded and looked down upon. Some of the parents here are also snobby, which leads to interesting school board meetings... Read 2 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 4

• Students 300