| # | District | City | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Arlington School District 38-1 | Arlington | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Ethan School District 17-1 | Ethan | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #3 | Warner School District 06-5 | Mansfield | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #4 | Faulkton School District 24-4 | Faulkton | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #5 | Brandon Valley School District 49-2 | Brandon | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #6 | Frederick Area School District 06-2 | Barnard | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #7 | Hanson School District 30-1 | Alexandria | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #8 | Dell Rapids School District 49-3 | Dell Rapids | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #9 | Groton Area School District 06-6 | Bristol | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #10 | Lennox School District 41-4 | Chancellor | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #11 | Platte-Geddes School District 11-5 | Geddes | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #12 | Lake Preston School District 38-3 | Erwin | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
| #13 | Timber Lake School District 20-3 | Mobridge | 10/10 Excellent | 92th |
| #14 | Kimball School District 07-2 | Kimball | 10/10 Excellent | 91th |
| #15 | Corsica-Stickney School District 21-3 | Corsica | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #16 | Ipswich School District 22-6 | Ipswich | 9/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #17 | Howard School District 48-3 | Canova | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #18 | Herreid School District 10-1 | Herreid | 9/10 Excellent | 88th |
| #19 | Webster School District 18-5 | Grenville | 9/10 Excellent | 88th |
| #20 | Jones County School District 37-3 | Draper | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #21 | Agar-Blunt-Onida School District 58-3 | Agar | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #22 | Eureka School District 44-1 | Eureka | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #23 | Hoven School District 53-2 | Gettysburg | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #24 | Centerville School District 60-1 | Centerville | 9/10 Excellent | 84th |
| #25 | Canistota School District 43-1 | Canistota | 9/10 Excellent | 83th |
Best School Districts in South Dakota (2026)
This ranking covers 146 rated public school districts in South Dakota, scored using NCES EDFacts state assessment data (2021–22 for 90% of districts, 2017–18 fallback for the rest). Each district's reading and math proficiency rates are averaged, then ranked against other districts in the same state to produce a 1–10 score.
A district's score reflects how its students perform on state assessments relative to same-state peers — it is not a direct measure of teaching quality, school culture, or individual student outcomes. Always visit schools, talk to local families, and contact districts directly before making decisions. Learn how ratings are calculated →
How to Use This List
Click any district name to see its zip code page and confirm your exact assignment with the district office. Boundaries don't always follow city or neighborhood lines — the zip code search gives you the most accurate result.