Opal Elementary - 15

Opal Elementary - 15 is a small public elementary school located in Opal, South Dakota, serving grades K-8 with a total enrollment of just 14 students. The school is part of the Meade School District 46-1, which is ranked 65 out of 147 school districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. However, Opal Elementary - 15 has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of South Dakota elementary schools, with a ranking of 242 out of 300 schools in the 2024-2025 school year.

Opal Elementary - 15 faces significant challenges in terms of academic performance, with only 22.22% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 33.33% proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the district and state averages. The school also has consistently high rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 15.3% to 20.9% over the past few years. Additionally, the school's performance is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, such as special education students, where it ranked 244 out of 248 South Dakota elementary schools in the 2024-2025 school year.

Interestingly, the nearest comparable school, Maurine Elementary - 04 in the Faith School District, also performs below the state average in academic measures, but generally outperforms Opal Elementary - 15. The small size of Opal Elementary - 15 may present unique challenges, and the high spending per student suggests that the school is not achieving the desired academic outcomes despite the higher level of funding. The Meade School District may need to take a more targeted approach to supporting and improving the educational outcomes at this school.