Belle Fourche School District 09-1

2305 13th Ave
Belle Fourche, SD 57717
(District boundaries shown in map)
3/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Belle Fourche School District 09-1 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 2 public high schools serving 407 students in Belle Fourche School District 09-1. This district's average high testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public high schools in South Dakota.
Public High Schools in Belle Fourche School District 09-1 have an average math proficiency score of 43% (versus the South Dakota public high school average of 40%), and reading proficiency score of 58% (versus the 63% statewide average).
Public High School in Belle Fourche School District 09-1 have a Graduation Rate of 84%, which is more than the South Dakota average of 82%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Belle Fourche High School - 01, with ≥95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in South Dakota or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 14% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the South Dakota public high school average of 35% (majority American Indian).

Overview

This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
5 Schools
217 Schools
# Students
1,296 Students
46,971 Students
# Teachers
101 Teachers
3,330 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Belle Fourche School District 09-1, which is ranked within the bottom 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 55% has decreased from 90-94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#113 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
38%
42%
43%
51%
42%
42%
55%
82%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.29
0.54
% American Indian
2%
19%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
8%
7%
% Black
n/a
3%
% White
84%
65%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,314 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,146. The school district revenue/student has grown by 17% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,090 is less than the state median of $12,647. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
This School District
This State (SD)
Total Revenue
$16 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$14 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,314
$13,146
Spending / Student
$11,090
$12,647

Best Belle Fourche School District 09-1 Public High Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Belle Fourche High School - 01
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
1301 12th Ave
Belle Fourche, SD 57717
(605) 723-3350
Gr: 9-12 | 372 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 12%
Rank: #22.
Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: 21-39%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1301 12th Ave
Belle Fourche, SD 57717
(605) 723-0955
Gr: 9-12 | 35 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 29%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 5 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 1,296 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 16%
  • : 55% (Top 30% in SD)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 38% (Btm 50%)
  • : 43% (Btm 50%)
  • : 42% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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