schoolsbycounty

Spink County Schools & Education

Spink County, South Dakota

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

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

82.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

82.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.4%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,597

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,409

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 38/100

State Score Position

#41

of 65 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Spink County

Measured School Summary

Spink County faces educational challenges with a school score of 34/100 and a graduation rate of 82.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $7,597 per pupil, Spink County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 10% below the South Dakota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 3% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Spink 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

21 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

34/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #41 of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data.

Completion

82.0%

0.4 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,597

$188 above the state average

School coverage

21

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

Spink County has 21 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 SchoolsCompare Counties
Parent decision brief

What Spink 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

Spink 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

#41

of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 4 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.

Redfield School District 56-4

Elementary to high school visible

555 students

Elementary 1Middle 2High 3Other 0

6 listed schools in this county slice.

Northwestern Area School District 56-7

Elementary to high school visible

319 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Doland School District 56-2

Elementary to high school visible

165 students

Elementary 4Middle 1High 2Other 0

7 listed schools in this county slice.

Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6

Elementary to high school visible

128 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Doland School District 56-2 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 Spink County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Spink 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 Spink 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.

Spink County's Extensive Public School Network

Spink County manages 21 public schools across four districts, serving a total of 1,167 students. This comprehensive network includes eight elementary, five middle, and eight high schools, along with two specialized education facilities.

Major Districts Serving Spink County

Redfield School District 56-4 leads the county with 555 students, followed by the Hitchcock Tulare and Doland districts. There are no charter schools in the county, with all students enrolled in traditional public districts.

A Vast Network of Small Rural Schools

Despite having 21 schools, the average school size is quite small at only 58 students per campus. Redfield Elementary is the largest school with 270 students, though many students attend much smaller rural high schools across the county's four districts.

School Overview

Total Schools

21

in Spink County

Reported Enrollment

1,167

21 schools reporting

School Districts

4

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8
Middle5
High8
Other0

4 School Districts in Spink County

Redfield School District 56-4

6 schools
555 students

Northwestern Area School District 56-7

5 schools
336 students

Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6

5 schools
232 students

Doland School District 56-2

7 schools
165 students

21 Public Schools in Spink 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 data

Level

Showing 20 of 21 matching schools

Redfield Elementary - 03

Redfield School District 56-4

Redfield, 57469 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary270 students

Redfield High School - 01

Redfield School District 56-4

Redfield, 57469 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High162 students

Northwestern Elementary - 04

Northwestern Area School District 56-7

Mellette, 57461 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary119 students

Redfield Middle School - 02

Redfield School District 56-4

Redfield, 57469 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle114 students

Northwestern High School - 01

Northwestern Area School District 56-7

Mellette, 57461 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High88 students

Doland Elementary - 03

Doland School District 56-2

Doland, 57436 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary81 students

Northwestern Middle School - 02

Northwestern Area School District 56-7

Mellette, 57461 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle59 students

Hitchcock-Tulare High School - 01

Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6

Tulare, 57476 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High56 students

iSucceed - 92

Northwestern Area School District 56-7

Mellette, 57461 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12Virtual53 students

Doland High School - 01

Doland School District 56-2

Doland, 57436 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High31 students

Hitchcock-Tulare Jr. High School - 02

Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6

Tulare, 57476 / Rural: Remote

Record7–8Middle26 students

Glendale Colony Elementary - 04

Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6

Tulare, 57476 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary23 students

Spink Colony Elementary - 03

Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6

Tulare, 57476 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary23 students

Clark Colony Elementary - 05

Doland School District 56-2

Raymond, 57258 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary15 students

Doland Jr. High - 02

Doland School District 56-2

Doland, 57436 / Rural: Remote

Record7–8Middle13 students

Camrose Colony Elementary - 06

Doland School District 56-2

Frankfort, 57440 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary12 students

Hillside Colony Elementary - 04

Doland School District 56-2

Doland, 57436 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary11 students

Turtle Creek High School - 04

Redfield School District 56-4

Redfield, 57469 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12Special Education8 students

Hillside Colony High School - 07

Doland School District 56-2

Doland, 57436 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High2 students

Redfield Virtual School - 92

Redfield School District 56-4

Redfield, 57469 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12Virtual1 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,597

State avg $7,409

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Spink 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 Spink County?
Spink County has a school score of 34/100, 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 Spink County?
The high school graduation rate in Spink County is 82.0%, 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 Spink County spend per student?
Spink County spends $7,597 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Spink County, South Dakota — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Spink County, South Dakota?

Spink County manages 21 public schools across four districts, serving a total of 1,167 students. This comprehensive network includes eight elementary, five middle, and eight high schools, along with two specialized education facilities.

What are the major school districts in Spink County, South Dakota?

Redfield School District 56-4 leads the county with 555 students, followed by the Hitchcock Tulare and Doland districts. There are no charter schools in the county, with all students enrolled in traditional public districts.

What is the school experience like in Spink County?

Despite having 21 schools, the average school size is quite small at only 58 students per campus. Redfield Elementary is the largest school with 270 students, though many students attend much smaller rural high schools across the county's four districts.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Lincoln County

South Dakota

0 pts

34/100

School score

Tripp County

South Dakota

-1 pts

33/100

School score

Jones County

South Dakota

+1 pts

36/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed 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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