Miner County Schools & Education
Miner County, South Dakota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
54/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
90.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
90.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.4%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,681
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,409
School Score
54/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 38/100
State Score Position
#12
of 65 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Miner County
Measured School Summary
Miner County performs at an average level with a school score of 54/100 and a solid graduation rate of 90.0%.
Funding Context
At $7,681 per pupil, Miner County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 41% above the South Dakota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 7.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 4% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Miner 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
4 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
54/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #12 of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data.
Completion
90.0%
7.6 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,681
$272 above the state average
School coverage
4
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Miner County has 4 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 Miner 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
Miner 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
#12
of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 16 points above 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.
Howard School District 48-3
Elementary to high school visible
351 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Howard School District 48-3 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 Miner 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 Miner 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 Efficient Howard School Network
Miner County maintains four public schools, including two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. A single district, Howard 48-3, serves the entire enrollment of 351 students. This compact infrastructure is designed for maximum efficiency in a rural setting.
Howard School District Leads the County
The Howard School District 48-3 manages all 351 students in the county across its four campuses. There are zero charter schools, as the local district provides a comprehensive K-12 experience for the community. This unified approach contributes to the county's high graduation rates.
Intimate Rural Schools in Howard
The county’s schools are exclusively rural, with an average enrollment of only 88 students. Howard Elementary is the largest at 129 students, while Shannon Colony Elementary serves a small group of 33. This tiny average size ensures that every student gets the attention they need to succeed.
School Overview
Total Schools
4
in Miner County
Reported Enrollment
351
4 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Miner County
Howard School District 48-3
4 Public Schools in Miner 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 4 of 4 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Elementary - 02 | Record | Howard School District 48-3 | Howard, 57349Rural: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 129 |
| Howard High School - 01 | Record | Howard School District 48-3 | Howard, 57349Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 110 |
| Howard Jr. High - 05 | Record | Howard School District 48-3 | Howard, 57349Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 79 |
| Shannon Colony Elementary - 08 | Record | Howard School District 48-3 | Winfred, 57076Rural: Remote | KG–8 | Primary | 33 |
Howard Elementary - 02
Howard School District 48-3
Howard, 57349 / Rural: Remote
Howard High School - 01
Howard School District 48-3
Howard, 57349 / Rural: Remote
Howard Jr. High - 05
Howard School District 48-3
Howard, 57349 / Rural: Remote
Shannon Colony Elementary - 08
Howard School District 48-3
Winfred, 57076 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,681
State avg $7,409
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Miner 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 Miner County?
What is the graduation rate in Miner County?
How much does Miner County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Miner County, South Dakota — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Miner County, South Dakota?
Miner County maintains four public schools, including two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. A single district, Howard 48-3, serves the entire enrollment of 351 students. This compact infrastructure is designed for maximum efficiency in a rural setting.
What are the major school districts in Miner County, South Dakota?
The Howard School District 48-3 manages all 351 students in the county across its four campuses. There are zero charter schools, as the local district provides a comprehensive K-12 experience for the community. This unified approach contributes to the county's high graduation rates.
What is the school experience like in Miner County?
The county’s schools are exclusively rural, with an average enrollment of only 88 students. Howard Elementary is the largest at 129 students, while Shannon Colony Elementary serves a small group of 33. This tiny average size ensures that every student gets the attention they need to succeed.
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.