schoolsbycounty

Turner County Schools & Education

School Score

37/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

89.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

89.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.4%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,465

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,409

School Score

37/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 38/100

State Score Position

#36

of 65 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Turner County

Measured School Summary

Turner County faces educational challenges with a school score of 37/100 and a graduation rate of 89.9%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,465 per pupil, Turner County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 3% below the South Dakota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 7.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 13% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Turner 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

15 public schools and 5 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

37/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #36 of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data.

Completion

89.9%

7.5 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,465

$944 below the state average

School coverage

15

5 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

Turner County has 15 public schools across 5 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.

Parent decision brief

What Turner 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

Turner 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

#36

of 65 South Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 1 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.

Parker School District 60-4

Elementary to high school visible

491 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6

Elementary to high school visible

418 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Centerville School District 60-1

Elementary to high school visible

290 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Marion School District 60-3

Elementary to high school visible

199 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6 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 Turner County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Turner 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 Turner 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 Landscape of Local Districts

Turner County features 15 public schools, providing an exceptionally high number of local options for its 1,529 students. The system is perfectly balanced with five elementary, five middle, and five high schools. Five different school districts operate within the county, reflecting a community-led approach to education.

Five Districts, One Common Goal

The Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6 is the largest in the county with 418 students, followed by Centerville and Marion districts. There are no charter schools, so these five local districts manage all 1,529 students. This decentralized structure ensures that each small town maintains its own educational identity and local control.

The Quintessential Rural Education Experience

All 15 schools in Turner County are situated in rural locales, providing a consistent environment for all students. The average school size is a modest 102 students, fostering close relationships between teachers and pupils. Parker Elementary is the largest campus at 262 students, while many other schools serve fewer than 100 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

15

in Turner County

Reported Enrollment

1,529

15 schools reporting

School Districts

5

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary5
Middle5
High5
Other0

5 School Districts in Turner County

Parker School District 60-4

3 schools
491 students

Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6

4 schools
418 students

Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3

3 schools
293 students

Centerville School District 60-1

3 schools
290 students

Marion School District 60-3

3 schools
199 students

15 Public Schools in Turner 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 15 of 15 matching schools

Parker Elementary - 02

Parker School District 60-4

Parker, 57053 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary262 students

Viborg-Hurley Elementary - 02

Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6

Viborg, 57070 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–4Primary161 students

Parker High School - 01

Parker School District 60-4

Parker, 57053 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High157 students

Centerville Elementary - 02

Centerville School District 60-1

Centerville, 57014 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary128 students

Viborg-Hurley Middle School - 03

Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6

Viborg, 57070 / Rural: Distant

Record5–8Middle125 students

Viborg-Hurley High School - 01

Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6

Viborg, 57070 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High119 students

Marion Elementary - 02

Marion School District 60-3

Marion, 57043 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary96 students

Centerville High School - 01

Centerville School District 60-1

Centerville, 57014 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High88 students

Irene - Wakonda High School - 01

Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3

Irene, 57037 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High82 students

Centerville Middle School - 03

Centerville School District 60-1

Centerville, 57014 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle74 students

Parker Jr. High - 03

Parker School District 60-4

Parker, 57053 / Rural: Distant

Record7–8Middle72 students

Marion High School - 01

Marion School District 60-3

Marion, 57043 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High55 students

Irene - Wakonda Jr. High - 04

Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3

Irene, 57037 / Rural: Remote

Record7–8Middle49 students

Marion Middle School - 03

Marion School District 60-3

Marion, 57043 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle48 students

Cameron Colony Elementary - 04

Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6

Viborg, 57070 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary13 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,465

State avg $7,409

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Turner 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.

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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 Turner County?
Turner County has a school score of 37/100, 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 Turner County?
The high school graduation rate in Turner County is 89.9%, which is above 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 Turner County spend per student?
Turner County spends $6,465 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 Turner County, South Dakota — FAQ

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

Turner County features 15 public schools, providing an exceptionally high number of local options for its 1,529 students. The system is perfectly balanced with five elementary, five middle, and five high schools. Five different school districts operate within the county, reflecting a community-led approach to education.

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

The Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6 is the largest in the county with 418 students, followed by Centerville and Marion districts. There are no charter schools, so these five local districts manage all 1,529 students. This decentralized structure ensures that each small town maintains its own educational identity and local control.

What is the school experience like in Turner County?

All 15 schools in Turner County are situated in rural locales, providing a consistent environment for all students. The average school size is a modest 102 students, fostering close relationships between teachers and pupils. Parker Elementary is the largest campus at 262 students, while many other schools serve fewer than 100 students.

Counties with Similar School Profile

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.