Douglas County Schools & Education
Douglas County, South Dakota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
30/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
84.2%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
84.2%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.4%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,012
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,409
School Score
30/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 38/100
State Score Position
#44
of 65 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Douglas County
Measured School Summary
Douglas County faces educational challenges with a school score of 30/100 and a graduation rate of 84.2%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $7,012 per pupil, Douglas County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 21% below the South Dakota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Douglas 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
6 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
30/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #44 of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data.
Completion
84.2%
1.8 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,012
$397 below the state average
School coverage
6
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
Douglas County has 6 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 Douglas 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
Douglas 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
#44
of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 8 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.
Armour School District 21-1
Elementary to high school visible
219 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Corsica-Stickney 21-3
Middle and high visible
106 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Armour School District 21-1 is the largest listed district slice, with 3 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 Douglas County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Douglas 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 Douglas 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.
Douglas County’s Small School Network
Six public schools serve the families of Douglas County, including two elementary, two middle, and two high schools. Total enrollment is relatively small at 329 students spread across two districts.
Competitive Graduation and State Scores
Douglas County maintains an 84.2% graduation rate, slightly higher than the state average of 82.4%. The county spends $7,012 per pupil, which is in line with South Dakota's average investment levels.
Armour and Corsica-Stickney Districts
The county is split between the Corsica-Stickney 21-3 district with 276 students and the Armour School District 21-1 with 219 students. Public education is exclusively traditional as there are no charter schools present.
The Essence of Rural Education
All schools are located in rural areas and average just 55 students per school. Armour Elementary is the largest with 123 students, while Corsica-Stickney Jr. High offers a very intimate setting with 42 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
6
in Douglas County
Reported Enrollment
329
6 schools reporting
School Districts
2
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
2 School Districts in Douglas County
Corsica-Stickney 21-3
Armour School District 21-1
6 Public Schools in Douglas 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 6 of 6 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armour Elementary - 02 | Record | Armour School District 21-1 | Armour, 57313Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 123 |
| Corsica-Stickney High School - 01 | Record | Corsica-Stickney 21-3 | Corsica, 57328Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 64 |
| Armour Middle School - 03 | Record | Armour School District 21-1 | Armour, 57313Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 49 |
| Armour High School - 01 | Record | Armour School District 21-1 | Armour, 57313Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 47 |
| Corsica-Stickney Jr. High - 03 | Record | Corsica-Stickney 21-3 | Corsica, 57328Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 42 |
| Greenwood Colony Elementary - 05 | Record | Tripp-Delmont School District 33-5 | Tripp, 57376Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 4 |
Armour Elementary - 02
Armour School District 21-1
Armour, 57313 / Rural: Remote
Corsica-Stickney High School - 01
Corsica-Stickney 21-3
Corsica, 57328 / Rural: Remote
Armour Middle School - 03
Armour School District 21-1
Armour, 57313 / Rural: Remote
Armour High School - 01
Armour School District 21-1
Armour, 57313 / Rural: Remote
Corsica-Stickney Jr. High - 03
Corsica-Stickney 21-3
Corsica, 57328 / Rural: Remote
Greenwood Colony Elementary - 05
Tripp-Delmont School District 33-5
Tripp, 57376 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,012
State avg $7,409
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Douglas 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 Douglas County?
What is the graduation rate in Douglas County?
How much does Douglas County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Douglas County, South Dakota — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Douglas County, South Dakota?
Six public schools serve the families of Douglas County, including two elementary, two middle, and two high schools. Total enrollment is relatively small at 329 students spread across two districts.
How do schools in Douglas County perform academically?
Douglas County maintains an 84.2% graduation rate, slightly higher than the state average of 82.4%. The county spends $7,012 per pupil, which is in line with South Dakota's average investment levels.
What are the major school districts in Douglas County, South Dakota?
The county is split between the Corsica-Stickney 21-3 district with 276 students and the Armour School District 21-1 with 219 students. Public education is exclusively traditional as there are no charter schools present.
What is the school experience like in Douglas County?
All schools are located in rural areas and average just 55 students per school. Armour Elementary is the largest with 123 students, while Corsica-Stickney Jr. High offers a very intimate setting with 42 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.