Clay County Schools & Education
Clay County, South Dakota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
12/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
82.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
82.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.4%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,809
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,409
School Score
12/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 38/100
State Score Position
#62
of 65 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Clay County
Measured School Summary
Clay County faces educational challenges with a school score of 12/100 and a graduation rate of 82.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $5,809 per pupil, Clay County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 68% below the South Dakota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 22% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Clay 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
5 public schools and 1 district 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
12/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #62 of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data.
Completion
82.0%
0.4 pts below the state average
Funding context
$5,809
$1,600 below the state average
School coverage
5
1 district 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
Clay County has 5 public schools across 1 district, 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 Clay 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
Clay 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
#62
of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 26 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.
Vermillion School District 13-1
Elementary to high school visible
1,436 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Vermillion School District 13-1 is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Clay County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
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 Clay 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 Educational Heart of Vermillion
Clay County supports five public schools and a total enrollment of 1,598 students. While primarily focused in a single district, the system includes three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
Vermillion District's Dominant Presence
Vermillion School District 13-1 is the primary educational provider, serving 1,436 students or about 90% of the county's total enrollment. There are no charter schools in the county, emphasizing a strong traditional public school foundation.
Town-Centered School Culture
Unlike its neighbors, Clay County schools are mostly town-based, resulting in a larger average school size of 320 students. Vermillion High School is the largest campus with 430 students, followed closely by Jolley Elementary with 407 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
5
in Clay County
Reported Enrollment
1,598
5 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Clay County
Vermillion School District 13-1
5 Public Schools in Clay 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 5 of 5 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermillion High School - 01 | Record | Vermillion School District 13-1 | Vermillion, 57069Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 430 |
| Jolley Elementary - 04 | Record | Vermillion School District 13-1 | Vermillion, 57069Town: Distant | 2–5 | Primary | 407 |
| Vermillion Middle School - 02 | Record | Vermillion School District 13-1 | Vermillion, 57069Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 321 |
| Austin Elementary - 03 | Record | Vermillion School District 13-1 | Vermillion, 57069Town: Distant | PK–1 | Primary | 278 |
| Irene - Wakonda Elementary - 02 | Record | Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3 | Wakonda, 57073Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 162 |
Vermillion High School - 01
Vermillion School District 13-1
Vermillion, 57069 / Town: Distant
Jolley Elementary - 04
Vermillion School District 13-1
Vermillion, 57069 / Town: Distant
Vermillion Middle School - 02
Vermillion School District 13-1
Vermillion, 57069 / Town: Distant
Austin Elementary - 03
Vermillion School District 13-1
Vermillion, 57069 / Town: Distant
Irene - Wakonda Elementary - 02
Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3
Wakonda, 57073 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,809
State avg $7,409
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Clay 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 Clay County?
What is the graduation rate in Clay County?
How much does Clay County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Clay County, South Dakota — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Clay County, South Dakota?
Clay County supports five public schools and a total enrollment of 1,598 students. While primarily focused in a single district, the system includes three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
What are the major school districts in Clay County, South Dakota?
Vermillion School District 13-1 is the primary educational provider, serving 1,436 students or about 90% of the county's total enrollment. There are no charter schools in the county, emphasizing a strong traditional public school foundation.
What is the school experience like in Clay County?
Unlike its neighbors, Clay County schools are mostly town-based, resulting in a larger average school size of 320 students. Vermillion High School is the largest campus with 430 students, followed closely by Jolley Elementary with 407 students.
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.