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South Central Elementary - 03

Public Grades PK, KG-5
121st
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 300 South Dakota Elementary Schools
Better than 60% of South Dakota elementary schools
Summary

South Central Elementary - 03 is a public elementary school in Bonesteel, South Dakota, serving 58 students in grades PK-5 and part of the South Central 26-5 school district. While the school has shown improvement in its statewide ranking and rating in recent years, it still lags behind the nearby Burke Elementary - 02 in terms of overall performance and student outcomes.

South Central Elementary - 03 has seen its ranking improve from 158 out of 206 schools in 2015-2016 to 121 out of 300 schools in 2024-2025, with a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. However, its student proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics, while above the state averages, are still lower than those of Burke Elementary - 02. The school also faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, which are significantly higher than the nearby school. Additionally, South Central Elementary - 03 serves a population with a higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating socioeconomic challenges that may impact student learning.

Despite the school's relatively low student-teacher ratio and high per-student spending, its performance still lags behind the nearby Burke Elementary - 02. This suggests that the effectiveness of resource allocation may need to be evaluated, and targeted interventions may be necessary to address the specific needs of the student population and improve academic outcomes across all grade levels.

52
Students ?
7.0
Student/teacher ratio ?
$28,696
Per pupil spending ?
69.2%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 401 Birdsell St
       Bonesteel, SD  57317

(605) 654-2314

District: South Central School District 26-5


Students who attend South Central Elementary - 03 usually attend:

High:    Whole Grade Sharing with Burke - 04
Racial breakdown:

White:
61.5%
American Indian:
36.5%
Two or more races:
1.9%
 See top rated South Dakota elementary schools

 Compare South Central Elementary - 03 to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 83rd percentile in 2006 → 60th in 2025
Strengths
✓Test scores above the South Dakota average (53% vs 47% meeting standards)
✓Above the South Dakota median (60th percentile)
✓Small classes — about 7 students per teacher
Worth a look
!Ranking has slipped from its 83rd-percentile peak (2006) to 60th (2025)
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school53%
District avg53%
South Dakota avg47%
121st of 300
South Dakota public elementary schools ?
Top 40%▲ up 36 pts since 2016
From bottom 23% (2016) to top 40% (2025)
See the entire ranking list of South Dakota Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
56th of 147South Central School District 26-5 among South Dakota districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202560.7121 of 30059.7%★★★☆☆
201633.0158 of 20623.3%★☆☆☆☆
200760.887 of 19455.2%★★★☆☆
200672.734 of 19782.7%★★★★☆
200559.494 of 19451.5%★★★☆☆
200471.539 of 18979.4%★★★★☆
200348.2126 of 18732.6%★★☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202562.2106 of 29163.6%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202552.797 of 23759.1%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202553.2153 of 29247.6%★★☆☆☆

Native American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202556.246 of 15269.7%★★★★☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202541.0147 of 24840.7%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202569.368 of 28776.3%★★★★☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
White (2025)76th percentile+17 vs school
Native American (2025)70th percentile+10 vs school
Female (2025)64th percentile+4 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)59th percentile~ school
Male (2025)48th percentile-12 vs school
Special Education (2025)41st percentile-19 vs school
By subject vs South Dakota (2024-2025) ?
English Language Arts59%+8 vs state
Science57%+17 vs state
Mathematics45%~ state avg

★
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Frequently Asked Questions about South Central Elementary - 03

Students at South Central Elementary - 03 are 62% White, 37% American Indian, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2024-25 school year, 52 students attended South Central Elementary - 03.

Students who attend South Central Elementary - 03 usually go on to attend:

High : Whole Grade Sharing with Burke - 04

South Central Elementary - 03 ranks 121st of 300 South Dakota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


Rate South Central Elementary - 03!



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Schools in Bonesteel, SD

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Dakota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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