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South Central 26-5 School District

401 Birdsell St
Bonesteel, SD 57317
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

South Central 26-5 School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there is 1 public preschool serving 58 students in South Central 26-5 School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in South Dakota.
Public Preschool in South Central 26-5 School District have an average math proficiency score of 50% (versus the South Dakota public pre school average of 45%), and reading proficiency score of 50% (versus the 45% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 43% of the student body (majority American Indian), which is more than the South Dakota public preschool average of 34% (majority American Indian and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
2 Schools
146 Schools
# Students
58 Students
30,673 Students
# Teachers
7 Teachers
2,365 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
8:1
8:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

South Central 26-5 School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 146 school districts in South Dakota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#77 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(22-23)
70%
42%
40-59%
51%
≥50%
42%
(17-18)
≥50%
82%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.51
0.54
% American Indian
41%
13%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
n/a
9%
% Black
n/a
5%
% White
57%
66%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
2%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $27,017 is higher than the state median of $13,121. The school district revenue/student has grown by 27% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $29,328 is higher than the state median of $12,623. The school district spending/student has grown by 67% over four school years.
This School District
This State (SD)
Total Revenue
$2 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$2 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student (18-19)
$27,017
$13,121
Spending / Student (18-19)
$29,328
$12,623

Best South Central 26-5 School District Public Preschools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
South Central Elementary - 03
(Math: 40-59% | Reading: 40-59%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
401 Birdsell St
Bonesteel, SD 57317
(605) 654-2314
Grades: PK-5
| 58 students

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 2 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 58 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 8:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 43%
  • : ≥50% (Top 1% in SD)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 70% (Top 50%)
  • : 40-59% (Btm 50%)
  • : ≥50% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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