Best Public Schools in Murdo, SD

The city of Murdo, South Dakota is home to three schools that serve students from elementary through high school: Jones County Elementary - 02, Jones County High School - 01, and Jones County Middle School - 04. These schools are part of the Jones County School District 37-3.

Based on the data, Jones County Elementary - 02 and Jones County Middle School - 04 appear to be the standout schools in the Murdo area. Both schools have consistently ranked among the top schools in South Dakota, earning 5-star ratings from SchoolDigger. Their test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are significantly higher than the state averages. In contrast, Jones County High School - 01 has struggled, ranking in the bottom half of South Dakota high schools and only earning 1-star or 2-star ratings in recent years.

The data also reveals that the schools in Murdo have varying percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 35% at the high school to over 56% at the elementary and middle schools. This suggests higher levels of economic disadvantage in the community. Additionally, the schools all have relatively high per-student spending and reasonable student-teacher ratios, indicating that resources are not the primary limiting factor in student achievement. The focus should be on identifying and replicating the effective practices at the top-performing schools to address the challenges faced by the high school and support the success of all students in the district.