Meade County Schools & Education
Meade County, South Dakota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
13/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
82.9%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
82.9%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.4%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,697
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,409
School Score
13/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 38/100
State Score Position
#61
of 65 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Meade County
Measured School Summary
Meade County faces educational challenges with a school score of 13/100 and a graduation rate of 82.9%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $5,697 per pupil, Meade County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 67% below the South Dakota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 23% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Meade 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
16 public schools and 3 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
13/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #61 of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data.
Completion
82.9%
0.5 pts above the state average
Funding context
$5,697
$1,712 below the state average
School coverage
16
3 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
Meade County has 16 public schools across 3 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 Meade 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.
Dominant-district county
Meade School District 46-1 carries most of the listed public-school system, with 11 of 16 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#61
of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 25 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.
Meade School District 46-1
Elementary to high school visible
2,959 students
10 listed schools in this county slice.
Faith School District 46-2
Elementary to high school visible
184 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
Other grade structure
0 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Meade School District 46-1 is the largest listed district slice, with 11 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 Meade County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Meade 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 Meade 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.
A Diverse and Robust School Infrastructure
Meade County supports 16 public schools, including 10 elementary and three middle schools, serving 3,513 students. The county features a mix of traditional, special education, and various locale settings. Three districts, including a specialized cooperative, manage this large-scale system.
Meade School District 46-1 Leads
Meade School District 46-1 is the dominant provider, enrolling 3,068 students across 11 schools. Faith School District 46-2 and Black Hills Special Services also serve the county's diverse needs. No charter schools exist here, as the public districts handle all student enrollment.
A Blend of Town and Rural Environments
Unlike many neighbors, Meade features a mix of rural, town, and suburban locales, with an average school size of 234 students. Sturgis Brown High School is the largest with 842 students, while specialized rural sites remain much smaller. This variety allows families to choose between larger town facilities or quiet rural schools.
School Overview
Total Schools
16
in Meade County
Reported Enrollment
3,513
16 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
3 School Districts in Meade County
Meade School District 46-1
Faith School District 46-2
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
16 Public Schools in Meade 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 16 of 16 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sturgis Brown High School - 01 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Sturgis, 57785Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 842 |
| Sturgis Elementary - 03 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Sturgis, 57785Town: Distant | KG–4 | Primary | 552 |
| Piedmont Valley Elementary - 05 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Piedmont, 57769Rural: Fringe | KG–4 | Primary | 523 |
| Sturgis Williams Middle School - 02 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Sturgis, 57785Town: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 489 |
| Stagebarn Middle School - 10 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Summerset, 57769Rural: Fringe | 5–8 | Middle | 457 |
| Black Hawk Elementary - 03 | Record | Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | Blackhawk, 57718Suburb: Small | KG–5 | Primary | 370 |
| Faith High School - 01 | Record | Faith School District 46-2 | Faith, 57626Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 80 |
| Faith Elementary - 02 | Record | Faith School District 46-2 | Faith, 57626Rural: Remote | KG–6 | Primary | 64 |
| Central Meade County School - 09 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Whitewood, 57793Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 56 |
| Faith Jr. High - 06 | Record | Faith School District 46-2 | Faith, 57626Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 26 |
| Maurine Elementary - 04 | Record | Faith School District 46-2 | Faith, 57626Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 14 |
| Opal Elementary - 15 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Whitewood, 57793Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 14 |
| Hereford Elementary - 08 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Whitewood, 57793Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 11 |
| Atall Elementary - 17 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Whitewood, 57793Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 9 |
| Elm Springs Elementary - 13 | Record | Meade School District 46-1 | Whitewood, 57793Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 6 |
| Developmental Disabilities Program - 01 | Record | Black Hills Special Services Cooperative | Sturgis, 57785Town: Distant | PK–12 | Special Education | 0 |
Sturgis Brown High School - 01
Meade School District 46-1
Sturgis, 57785 / Rural: Fringe
Sturgis Elementary - 03
Meade School District 46-1
Sturgis, 57785 / Town: Distant
Piedmont Valley Elementary - 05
Meade School District 46-1
Piedmont, 57769 / Rural: Fringe
Sturgis Williams Middle School - 02
Meade School District 46-1
Sturgis, 57785 / Town: Distant
Stagebarn Middle School - 10
Meade School District 46-1
Summerset, 57769 / Rural: Fringe
Black Hawk Elementary - 03
Rapid City Area School District 51-4
Blackhawk, 57718 / Suburb: Small
Faith High School - 01
Faith School District 46-2
Faith, 57626 / Rural: Remote
Faith Elementary - 02
Faith School District 46-2
Faith, 57626 / Rural: Remote
Central Meade County School - 09
Meade School District 46-1
Whitewood, 57793 / Rural: Remote
Maurine Elementary - 04
Faith School District 46-2
Faith, 57626 / Rural: Remote
Opal Elementary - 15
Meade School District 46-1
Whitewood, 57793 / Rural: Remote
Hereford Elementary - 08
Meade School District 46-1
Whitewood, 57793 / Rural: Remote
Atall Elementary - 17
Meade School District 46-1
Whitewood, 57793 / Rural: Remote
Elm Springs Elementary - 13
Meade School District 46-1
Whitewood, 57793 / Rural: Remote
Developmental Disabilities Program - 01
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
Sturgis, 57785 / Town: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,697
State avg $7,409
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Meade County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
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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 Meade County?
What is the graduation rate in Meade County?
How much does Meade County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Meade County, South Dakota — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Meade County, South Dakota?
Meade County supports 16 public schools, including 10 elementary and three middle schools, serving 3,513 students. The county features a mix of traditional, special education, and various locale settings. Three districts, including a specialized cooperative, manage this large-scale system.
What are the major school districts in Meade County, South Dakota?
Meade School District 46-1 is the dominant provider, enrolling 3,068 students across 11 schools. Faith School District 46-2 and Black Hills Special Services also serve the county's diverse needs. No charter schools exist here, as the public districts handle all student enrollment.
What is the school experience like in Meade County?
Unlike many neighbors, Meade features a mix of rural, town, and suburban locales, with an average school size of 234 students. Sturgis Brown High School is the largest with 842 students, while specialized rural sites remain much smaller. This variety allows families to choose between larger town facilities or quiet rural schools.
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.