Schools in Chester, SD

The city of Chester, South Dakota is home to 5 schools that serve students from elementary through high school, all part of the Chester Area School District 39-1. While the district as a whole is ranked 108 out of 147 in the state with a 1-star rating, some individual schools stand out, including Chester High School - 01, which consistently ranks among the top high schools in South Dakota.

Chester High School - 01 has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and strong academic performance, with over 60% of 11th graders proficient in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. The school also boasts a high 4-year graduation rate of 86.4% and a low dropout rate of 2.6%. In contrast, the district's virtual/cyber schools, Chester Area Cyber School - 92 and High Plains - 06, have significantly lower proficiency rates, especially in Mathematics.

Chronic absenteeism is a concern at the elementary and middle school levels, with Chester Elementary -02 and Chester Middle School - 03 both reporting rates over 20%. Additionally, there is significant variation in spending per student and student-teacher ratios across the schools, suggesting potential inequities in resource allocation within the district.