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Harding County High School - 01

Public Grades 9-12
14th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 166 South Dakota High Schools
Better than 92% of South Dakota high schools
Summary

Harding County High School - 01 is a small public high school in Buffalo, South Dakota, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 62. The school is part of the Harding County School District 31-1, which is ranked 22 out of 147 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Harding County High School - 01 has consistently demonstrated strong academic performance, with high proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science that exceed the state averages. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's ELA proficiency rate was 84.61%, compared to the state average of 63.84%, and its Mathematics proficiency rate was 53.84%, compared to the state average of 36.27%. The school also maintains a high graduation rate of 93.7%, significantly higher than the state average, and a low dropout rate ranging from 0% to 2.8%.

The school's performance extends beyond overall academic achievement, with notable success among specific student subgroups. In the 2024-2025 school year, Harding County High School - 01 ranked 4th out of 162 South Dakota high schools for its male students and 7th out of 140 high schools for its special education students. The school also performed well for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, ranking 8th out of 154 high schools in the state. This suggests a strong focus on equity and inclusion, ensuring that all students have access to high-quality educational opportunities.

66
Students ?
9.5
Student/teacher ratio ?
$18,767
Per pupil spending ?
22.7%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 12474 Tipperary St
       Buffalo, SD  57720

(605) 375-3241

District: Harding County School District 31-1

Racial breakdown:

White:
98.5%
Two or more races:
1.5%
 See top rated South Dakota high schools

 Compare Harding County High School - 01 to nearby high schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 83rd percentile in 2015 → 92nd in 2025
Strengths
✓Test scores above the South Dakota average (67% vs 50% meeting standards)
✓Ranks in the top 8% of South Dakota high schools
✓94% graduate in 4 years — above the South Dakota average (86%)
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school67%
District avg67%
South Dakota avg50%
14th of 166
South Dakota public high schools ?
Top 8%▲ up 8 pts since 2015
From top 17% (2015) to top 8% (2025)
See the entire ranking list of South Dakota High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
22nd of 147Harding County School District 31-1 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
202585.014 of 16691.6%★★★★★
202433.1100 of 14129.1%★☆☆☆☆
202377.023 of 13883.3%★★★★☆
202280.222 of 13483.6%★★★★☆
202171.626 of 14081.4%★★★★☆
201960.251 of 13562.2%★★★☆☆
201878.917 of 13887.7%★★★★☆
201779.219 of 13786.1%★★★★☆
201662.450 of 14164.5%★★★☆☆
201580.022 of 13383.5%★★★★☆
201374.233 of 14477.1%★★★★☆
201271.741 of 14371.3%★★★★☆
201155.570 of 14150.4%★★★☆☆
201076.424 of 15084.0%★★★★☆
200978.526 of 14481.9%★★★★☆
200884.212 of 13591.1%★★★★★
200797.11 of 14199.3%★★★★★
200655.965 of 13652.2%★★★☆☆
200594.71 of 13799.3%★★★★★
200479.519 of 13285.6%★★★★☆
200334.0105 of 13321.1%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202553.589 of 16445.7%★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202585.58 of 15494.8%★★★★★

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202594.04 of 16297.5%★★★★★
201949.848 of 8845.5%★★☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202579.67 of 14095.0%★★★★★

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Dakota percentileRating
202579.820 of 15887.3%★★★★☆
202424.8102 of 12518.4%★☆☆☆☆
202370.626 of 12178.5%★★★★☆
202279.819 of 12384.6%★★★★☆
202165.538 of 12970.5%★★★★☆
201961.743 of 12365.0%★★★☆☆
201873.320 of 12383.7%★★★★☆
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)
Male (2025)98th percentile+6 vs school
Special Education (2025)95th percentile+3 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)95th percentile+3 vs school
White (2025)87th percentile-4 vs school
Female (2025)46th percentile-46 vs school
By subject vs South Dakota (2024-2025) ?
English Language Arts85%+21 vs state
Science62%+13 vs state
Mathematics54%+18 vs state

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Frequently Asked Questions about Harding County High School - 01

Yes. Harding County High School - 01 ranks in the top 8.4% of South Dakota high schools.

Students at Harding County High School - 01 are 98% White, 2% Two or more races.

Harding County High School - 01 is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Buffalo Elementary - 02
Middle : Harding County Middle School - 03

In the 2024-25 school year, 66 students attended Harding County High School - 01.


Rate Harding County High School - 01!



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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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