Spearfish School District 40-2

525 E Illinois St
Spearfish, SD 57783
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Spearfish School District 40-2 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 4 public elementary schools serving 1,422 students in Spearfish School District 40-2. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public elementary schools in South Dakota.
Public Elementary Schools in Spearfish School District 40-2 have an average math proficiency score of 49% (versus the South Dakota public elementary school average of 43%), and reading proficiency score of 53% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 13% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the South Dakota public elementary school average of 36% (majority American Indian).

Overview

This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
7 Schools
497 Schools
# Students
2,398 Students
101,366 Students
# Teachers
171 Teachers
7,461 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Spearfish School District 40-2, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 146 school districts in South Dakota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has increased from 90-94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#58 out of 148 school districts
(Top 50%)
48%
42%
55%
51%
50%
42%
92%
82%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.26
0.56
% American Indian
3%
16%
% Asian
1%
2%
% Hispanic
5%
9%
% Black
n/a
3%
% White
86%
64%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $11,253 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,047. The school district revenue/student has grown by 10% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,299 is less than the state median of $12,552. The school district spending/student has grown by 14% over four school years.
This School District
This State (SD)
Total Revenue
$27 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$25 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,253
$13,047
Spending / Student
$10,299
$12,552

Best Spearfish School District 40-2 Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Creekside Elementary - 07
(Math: 54% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
2325 N Ave
Spearfish, SD 57783
(605) 717-1210
Gr: 3-5 | 553 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #22.
Spearfish Academy At Canyon Hills Elementary - 09
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50% )
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
2519 Windmill Dr
Spearfish, SD 57783
(605) 717-1229
Gr: 4-8 | 2 students Student-teacher ratio: 1:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #33.
Spearfish Middle School - 05
(Math: 45% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1600 N Canyon
Spearfish, SD 57783
(605) 717-1215
Gr: 6-8 | 545 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 13%
Rank: n/an/a
West Elementary - 03
920 W King St
Spearfish, SD 57783
(605) 717-1205
Gr: 1-2 | 322 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 12%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 7 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 2,398 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 14%
  • : 92% (Top 5% in SD)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 48% (Top 50%)
  • : 55% (Top 50%)
  • : 50% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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