Summary:
The 57717 zip code area is home to two high schools: Belle Fourche High School - 01 and Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09, both part of the Belle Fourche School District 09-1. Based on the available data, Belle Fourche High School - 01 appears to be the stronger performing school, with higher statewide rankings, better test scores, and a higher graduation rate compared to Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09.
Belle Fourche High School - 01 has consistently ranked in the top 26th to 83rd percentile of all South Dakota high schools, while Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 has a much lower ranking, ranging from 127th to 139th. The proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are also higher at Belle Fourche High School - 01 compared to the district and state averages, whereas Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 has significantly lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Science. Both schools have a similar four-year graduation rate of 86.4% and a dropout rate of 2.6% for the 2024-2025 school year.
The data suggests that the performance gap between the two schools may be influenced by factors such as student demographics, specialized programs, and funding allocation. Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 has a higher free/reduced lunch rate of 31.43%, compared to 22.85% at Belle Fourche High School - 01, indicating that it may serve a more economically disadvantaged student population. Additionally, the smaller student population at Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 (35 students) compared to Belle Fourche High School - 01 (372 students) suggests that it may be a specialized or alternative high school, which could contribute to the differences in performance.
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