Butte County Schools & Education
Butte County, South Dakota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
15/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
83.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
83.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.4%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,831
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,409
School Score
15/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 38/100
State Score Position
#59
of 65 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Butte County
Measured School Summary
Butte County faces educational challenges with a school score of 15/100 and a graduation rate of 83.4%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $5,831 per pupil, Butte County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 62% below the South Dakota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 21% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Butte County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
8 public schools and 2 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
15/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #59 of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data.
Completion
83.4%
1.0 pts above the state average
Funding context
$5,831
$1,578 below the state average
School coverage
8
2 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Butte County has 8 public schools across 2 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Butte County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Small-system county
Butte County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.
State position
#59
of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 23 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
Elementary to high school visible
1,329 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
Newell School District 09-2
Elementary to high school visible
289 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Belle Fourche School District 09-1 is the largest listed district slice, with 5 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Butte County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Butte County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Butte County, South Dakota
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
The School Network of Butte County
Butte County supports 1,618 students across eight public schools, including three elementary, two middle, and three high schools. These facilities are managed by two districts and include one alternative school for non-traditional learners. This layout provides a balanced educational infrastructure for the county's growing population.
Belle Fourche Leads the Local Schools
The Belle Fourche School District 09-1 is the county's largest, serving 1,329 students across five schools. The Newell School District 09-2 serves an additional 289 students. Like many other South Dakota counties, Butte has no charter schools, focusing all resources on its two traditional public districts.
A Blend of Town Hubs and Rural Schools
Five of the county's schools are located in town settings like Belle Fourche, while three remain rural. Belle Fourche Middle School is the largest campus with 401 students, and the countywide average school size is 202. This mix provides students with a variety of campus sizes as they progress from early elementary through high school.
School Overview
Total Schools
8
in Butte County
Reported Enrollment
1,618
8 schools reporting
School Districts
2
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
2 School Districts in Butte County
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
Newell School District 09-2
8 Public Schools in Butte County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 8 of 8 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 | Record | Belle Fourche School District 09-1 | Belle Fourche, 57717Town: Remote | 5–8 | Middle | 401 |
| Belle Fourche High School - 01 | Record | Belle Fourche School District 09-1 | Belle Fourche, 57717Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 383 |
| South Park Elementary - 03 | Record | Belle Fourche School District 09-1 | Belle Fourche, 57717Town: Remote | 1–4 | Primary | 382 |
| Newell Elementary - 02 | Record | Newell School District 09-2 | Newell, 57760Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 152 |
| North Park Elementary - 08 | Record | Belle Fourche School District 09-1 | Belle Fourche, 57717Town: Remote | KG | Primary | 106 |
| Newell High School - 01 | Record | Newell School District 09-2 | Newell, 57760Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 75 |
| Newell Middle School - 04 | Record | Newell School District 09-2 | Newell, 57760Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 62 |
| Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 | Record | Belle Fourche School District 09-1 | Belle Fourche, 57717Town: Remote | 9–12 | Alternative | 57 |
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
Belle Fourche, 57717 / Town: Remote
Belle Fourche High School - 01
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
Belle Fourche, 57717 / Town: Remote
South Park Elementary - 03
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
Belle Fourche, 57717 / Town: Remote
Newell Elementary - 02
Newell School District 09-2
Newell, 57760 / Rural: Remote
North Park Elementary - 08
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
Belle Fourche, 57717 / Town: Remote
Newell High School - 01
Newell School District 09-2
Newell, 57760 / Rural: Remote
Newell Middle School - 04
Newell School District 09-2
Newell, 57760 / Rural: Remote
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
Belle Fourche, 57717 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,831
State avg $7,409
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Butte County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which South Dakota counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in South Dakota?
How should I read the school score in Butte County?
What is the graduation rate in Butte County?
How much does Butte County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Butte County, South Dakota — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Butte County, South Dakota?
Butte County supports 1,618 students across eight public schools, including three elementary, two middle, and three high schools. These facilities are managed by two districts and include one alternative school for non-traditional learners. This layout provides a balanced educational infrastructure for the county's growing population.
What are the major school districts in Butte County, South Dakota?
The Belle Fourche School District 09-1 is the county's largest, serving 1,329 students across five schools. The Newell School District 09-2 serves an additional 289 students. Like many other South Dakota counties, Butte has no charter schools, focusing all resources on its two traditional public districts.
What is the school experience like in Butte County?
Five of the county's schools are located in town settings like Belle Fourche, while three remain rural. Belle Fourche Middle School is the largest campus with 401 students, and the countywide average school size is 202. This mix provides students with a variety of campus sizes as they progress from early elementary through high school.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.