Can I use Codington County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Codington County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Codington County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Codington County?

Start with the 18 listed public schools and 4 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Codington County Schools & Education

Name: Codington County, South Dakota Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Codington County, South Dakota

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

20/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

87.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

87.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.4%

Per-Pupil Spending

$5,657

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,409

School Score

20/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 38/100

State Score Position

#53

of 65 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Codington County

Measured School Summary

Codington County faces educational challenges with a school score of 20/100 and a graduation rate of 87.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $5,657 per pupil, Codington County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 46% below the South Dakota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 24% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Codington 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

18 public schools and 4 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

20/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #53 of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data.

Completion

87.0%

4.6 pts above the state average

Funding context

$5,657

$1,752 below the state average

School coverage

4 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

Codington County has 18 public schools across 4 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Codington 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.

Review-carefully county

Codington County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.

State position

#53

of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 18 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.

Watertown School District 14-4

Elementary to high school visible

3,791 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 1Other 1

9 listed schools in this county slice.

Florence School District 14-1

Elementary to high school visible

308 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Waverly School District 14-5

Elementary to high school visible

271 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Henry School District 14-2

Elementary to high school visible

195 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Watertown School District 14-4 is the largest listed district slice, with 10 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 Codington County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Codington 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?

Data Story

Codington County matches national graduation rate with low per-pupil spending

Education data brief for Codington County, South Dakota.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Lead metric:Graduation rate

Codington County reports a graduation rate of 87.0%, exactly matching the national average and exceeding the South Dakota state average of 82.4%. This outcome is achieved with a per-pupil expenditure of $5,657, which is less than half the national average of $13,000 and notably lower than the state average of $7,409. The county's educational landscape is dominated by the Watertown School District 14-4, which enrolls 3,803 of the county's 4,565 students across 10 schools. Watertown High School is the largest institution with 1,220 students. Despite the graduation rate, the county's composite school score is 20.4, which is lower than the state average of 38.3. The directory data shows a mix of 10 rural and 8 town schools. There are zero charter schools present among the 18 total public schools. Compare district boundaries before drawing conclusions regarding school service areas.

Sources

NCES Common Core of Data
U.S. Census Bureau ACS

School Overview

Total Schools

in Codington County

Reported Enrollment

4,565

18 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8

Middle5

High4

Other1

4 School Districts in Codington County

Watertown School District 14-4

Florence School District 14-1

3 schools

308 students

Waverly School District 14-5

3 schools

271 students

Henry School District 14-2

3 schools

195 students

18 Public Schools in Codington County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 18 of 18 matching schools

Public schools in Codington County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Watertown High School - 01	Profile	Watertown School District 14-4	Watertown, 57201Town: Remote	9–12	High	1,220
Watertown Middle School - 02	Record	Watertown School District 14-4	Watertown, 57201Rural: Fringe	7–8	Middle	600
Watertown Intermediate School - 13	Record	Watertown School District 14-4	Watertown, 57201Town: Remote	5–6	Middle	548
Jefferson Elementary - 09	Record	Watertown School District 14-4	Watertown, 57201Town: Remote	KG–4	Primary	361
Lincoln Elementary - 05	Record	Watertown School District 14-4	Watertown, 57201Town: Remote	KG–4	Primary	338
McKinley Elementary - 06	Record	Watertown School District 14-4	Watertown, 57201Town: Remote	PK–4	Primary	234
Roosevelt Elementary - 08	Record	Watertown School District 14-4	Watertown, 57201Town: Remote	PK–4	Primary	228
Mellette Elementary - 07	Record	Watertown School District 14-4	Watertown, 57201Town: Remote	KG–4	Primary	212
Florence Elementary - 02	Record	Florence School District 14-1	Florence, 57235Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	152
Waverly-South Shore Elementary - 02	Record	Waverly School District 14-5	Waverly, 57201Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	122
Henry Elementary - 02	Record	Henry School District 14-2	Henry, 57243Rural: Remote	PK–5	Primary	93
Waverly-South Shore High School - 01	Record	Waverly School District 14-5	Waverly, 57201Rural: Distant	9–12	High	92
Florence High School - 01	Record	Florence School District 14-1	Florence, 57235Rural: Distant	9–12	High	85
Florence Middle School - 03	Record	Florence School District 14-1	Florence, 57235Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	71
Henry High School - 01	Record	Henry School District 14-2	Henry, 57243Rural: Remote	9–12	High	57
Waverly-South Shore Middle School - 03	Record	Waverly School District 14-5	Waverly, 57201Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	57
Garfield Education Center - 14	Record	Watertown School District 14-4	Watertown, 57201Town: Remote	PK	Other	50
Henry Middle School - 03	Record	Henry School District 14-2	Henry, 57243Rural: Remote	6–8	Middle	45

Watertown High School - 01

Watertown School District 14-4

Watertown, 57201 / Town: Remote

Profile9–12High1,220 students

Watertown Middle School - 02

Watertown School District 14-4

Watertown, 57201 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–8Middle600 students

Watertown Intermediate School - 13

Watertown School District 14-4

Watertown, 57201 / Town: Remote

Record5–6Middle548 students

Jefferson Elementary - 09

Watertown School District 14-4

Watertown, 57201 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary361 students

Lincoln Elementary - 05

Watertown School District 14-4

Watertown, 57201 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary338 students

McKinley Elementary - 06

Watertown School District 14-4

Watertown, 57201 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–4Primary234 students

Roosevelt Elementary - 08

Watertown School District 14-4

Watertown, 57201 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–4Primary228 students

Mellette Elementary - 07

Watertown School District 14-4

Watertown, 57201 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–4Primary212 students

Florence Elementary - 02

Florence School District 14-1

Florence, 57235 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary152 students

Waverly-South Shore Elementary - 02

Waverly School District 14-5

Waverly, 57201 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary122 students

Henry Elementary - 02

Henry School District 14-2

Henry, 57243 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary93 students

Waverly-South Shore High School - 01

Waverly School District 14-5

Waverly, 57201 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High92 students

Florence High School - 01

Florence School District 14-1

Florence, 57235 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High85 students

Florence Middle School - 03

Florence School District 14-1

Florence, 57235 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle71 students

Henry High School - 01

Henry School District 14-2

Henry, 57243 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High57 students

Waverly-South Shore Middle School - 03

Waverly School District 14-5

Waverly, 57201 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle57 students

Garfield Education Center - 14

Watertown School District 14-4

Watertown, 57201 / Town: Remote

RecordPKOther50 students

Henry Middle School - 03

Henry School District 14-2

Henry, 57243 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle45 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$5,657

State avg $7,409

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Codington County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which South Dakota counties have the highest graduation rates?

Deuel County (95.0%), Stanley County (95.0%), and Hamlin County (92.8%) currently lead South Dakota among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in South Dakota?

Across South Dakota counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,409. The highest current county values are Ziebach County ($13,420), Corson County ($10,486), and Sully County ($10,373). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Codington County?

Codington County has a school score of 20/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Codington County?

The high school graduation rate in Codington County is 87.0%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Codington County spend per student?

Codington County spends $5,657 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Hyde County

South Dakota

-0 pts

20/100

School score

Roberts County

South Dakota

-2 pts

19/100

School score

Minnehaha County

South Dakota

+4 pts

24/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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.

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