Custer School District 16-1

527 Montgomery St
Custer, SD 57730
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Custer School District 16-1 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 2 public elementary schools serving 468 students in Custer School District 16-1. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public elementary schools in South Dakota.
Public Elementary Schools in Custer School District 16-1 have an average math proficiency score of 51% (versus the South Dakota public elementary school average of 43%), and reading proficiency score of 46% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 15% 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
6 Schools
495 Schools
# Students
906 Students
100,764 Students
# Teachers
75 Teachers
7,485 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Custer School District 16-1, 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 decreased from 95% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#77 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
47%
42%
51%
51%
52%
42%
92%
82%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.27
0.55
% American Indian
2%
17%
% Asian
1%
2%
% Hispanic
7%
8%
% Black
n/a
3%
% White
85%
64%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,472 is higher than the state median of $13,146. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $21,682 is higher than the state median of $12,647. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (SD)
Total Revenue
$14 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$20 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,472
$13,146
Spending / Student
$21,682
$12,647

Best Custer School District 16-1 Public Elementary Schools (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Custer Elementary - 02
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
1415 Wildcat Ln
Custer, SD 57730
(605) 673-4483
Gr: K-6 | 293 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #22.
Hermosa Elementary - 04
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
11 4th St
Hermosa, SD 57744
(605) 255-4345
Gr: K-6 | 175 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 14%

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Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 6 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 906 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 15%
  • : 92% (Top 5% in SD)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 47% (Top 50%)
  • : 51% (Btm 50%)
  • : 52% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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