Marshall County Schools & Education
Marshall County, South Dakota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
25/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
84.3%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
84.3%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.4%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,573
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,409
School Score
25/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 38/100
State Score Position
#51
of 65 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Marshall County
Measured School Summary
Marshall County faces educational challenges with a school score of 25/100 and a graduation rate of 84.3%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,573 per pupil, Marshall County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 36% below the South Dakota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 11% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Marshall 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
13 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
25/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #51 of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data.
Completion
84.3%
1.9 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,573
$836 below the state average
School coverage
13
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
Marshall County has 13 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 Marshall 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.
Choice-program county
Marshall County has a visible charter, magnet, or virtual-school layer in NCES records. The practical question is eligibility, lottery timing, and transportation, not just whether a school appears nearby.
State position
#51
of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 13 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.
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4
Elementary to high school visible
476 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
Langford Area 45-5
Elementary to high school visible
242 students
7 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Langford Area 45-5 is the largest listed district slice, with 7 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 Marshall County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Marshall County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Marshall 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.
Rural Education Across Marshall County
Marshall County supports 13 public schools, including six elementary, three middle, and four high schools. These facilities serve 718 students across two distinct school districts. The infrastructure is entirely rural, catering to small communities throughout the region.
Britton-Hecla and Langford Area Districts
The Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 is the larger provider, enrolling 476 students across six schools. Langford Area 45-5 serves another 242 students through seven different facilities. There are no charter schools in the county, with all students attending traditional public districts.
Micro-Schools Define the Marshall Experience
Every school in Marshall County is classified as rural, with an exceptionally small average school size of just 55 students. Britton-Hecla Elementary is the largest with 174 students, while Langford Area High School serves only 47 students. This environment offers a rare level of individual student visibility.
School Overview
Total Schools
13
in Marshall County
Reported Enrollment
718
13 schools reporting
School Districts
2
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
2 School Districts in Marshall County
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4
Langford Area 45-5
13 Public Schools in Marshall 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 13 of 13 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Britton-Hecla Elementary - 02 | Record | Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 | Britton, 57430Rural: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 174 |
| Britton-Hecla High School - 01 | Record | Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 | Britton, 57430Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 130 |
| Britton-Hecla Middle School - 03 | Record | Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 | Britton, 57430Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 104 |
| Langford Area Elementary - 02 | Record | Langford Area 45-5 | Langford, 57454Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 102 |
| Langford Area High School - 01 | Record | Langford Area 45-5 | Langford, 57454Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 47 |
| Langford Area Middle School - 03 | Record | Langford Area 45-5 | Langford, 57454Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 42 |
| Newport Colony Elementary - 04 | Record | Langford Area 45-5 | Langford, 57454Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 41 |
| Westwood Rural Elementary - 05 | Record | Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 | Britton, 57430Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 34 |
| Sunset Colony Elementary - 04 | Record | Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 | Britton, 57430Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 24 |
| Sunset Colony High School - 06 | Record | Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 | Britton, 57430Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 10 |
| Premier Learning Academy High School - 92 | Record | Langford Area 45-5 | Langford, 57454Rural: Remote | 9–12 | Virtual | 8 |
| Premier Learning Academy Elementary - 94 | Record | Langford Area 45-5 | Langford, 57454Rural: Remote | KG–5 | Virtual | 1 |
| Premier Learning Academy Middle School - 93 | Record | Langford Area 45-5 | Langford, 57454Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Virtual | 1 |
Britton-Hecla Elementary - 02
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4
Britton, 57430 / Rural: Remote
Britton-Hecla High School - 01
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4
Britton, 57430 / Rural: Remote
Britton-Hecla Middle School - 03
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4
Britton, 57430 / Rural: Remote
Langford Area Elementary - 02
Langford Area 45-5
Langford, 57454 / Rural: Remote
Langford Area High School - 01
Langford Area 45-5
Langford, 57454 / Rural: Remote
Langford Area Middle School - 03
Langford Area 45-5
Langford, 57454 / Rural: Remote
Newport Colony Elementary - 04
Langford Area 45-5
Langford, 57454 / Rural: Remote
Westwood Rural Elementary - 05
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4
Britton, 57430 / Rural: Remote
Sunset Colony Elementary - 04
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4
Britton, 57430 / Rural: Remote
Sunset Colony High School - 06
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4
Britton, 57430 / Rural: Remote
Premier Learning Academy High School - 92
Langford Area 45-5
Langford, 57454 / Rural: Remote
Premier Learning Academy Elementary - 94
Langford Area 45-5
Langford, 57454 / Rural: Remote
Premier Learning Academy Middle School - 93
Langford Area 45-5
Langford, 57454 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,573
State avg $7,409
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Marshall 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 Marshall County?
What is the graduation rate in Marshall County?
How much does Marshall County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Marshall County, South Dakota — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Marshall County, South Dakota?
Marshall County supports 13 public schools, including six elementary, three middle, and four high schools. These facilities serve 718 students across two distinct school districts. The infrastructure is entirely rural, catering to small communities throughout the region.
What are the major school districts in Marshall County, South Dakota?
The Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 is the larger provider, enrolling 476 students across six schools. Langford Area 45-5 serves another 242 students through seven different facilities. There are no charter schools in the county, with all students attending traditional public districts.
What is the school experience like in Marshall County?
Every school in Marshall County is classified as rural, with an exceptionally small average school size of just 55 students. Britton-Hecla Elementary is the largest with 174 students, while Langford Area High School serves only 47 students. This environment offers a rare level of individual student visibility.
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.