Dakota Valley School District 61-8

1150 Northshore Dr
North Sioux City, SD 57049
(District boundaries shown in map)
8/
10
Top 30%

Top Rankings

Dakota Valley School District 61-8 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 3 public elementary schools serving 927 students in Dakota Valley School District 61-8. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public elementary schools in South Dakota.
Public Elementary Schools in Dakota Valley School District 61-8 have an average math proficiency score of 50% (versus the South Dakota public elementary school average of 43%), and reading proficiency score of 63% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 27% 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
4 Schools
495 Schools
# Students
1,386 Students
100,764 Students
# Teachers
88 Teachers
7,485 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Dakota Valley School District 61-8, which is ranked within the top 20% 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 95% has increased from 90-94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#30 out of 148 school districts
(Top 30%)
50%
42%
64%
51%
47%
42%
(21-22)
≥95%
82%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.43
0.55
% American Indian
2%
17%
% Asian
3%
2%
% Hispanic
11%
8%
% Black
2%
3%
% White
75%
64%
% Hawaiian
1%
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $13,118 in this school district is less 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 $10,740 is less 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
$18 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$15 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,118
$13,146
Spending / Student
$10,740
$12,647

Best Dakota Valley School District 61-8 Public Elementary Schools (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Dakota Valley Elementary - 02
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
80 Northshore Dr
North Sioux City, SD 57049
(605) 422-3840
Gr: K-3 | 380 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: #22.
Dakota Valley Middle School - 03
(Math: 47% | Reading: 68%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
1150 Northshore Dr
North Sioux City, SD 57049
(605) 422-3830
Gr: 6-8 | 341 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 22%
Rank: #33.
Dakota Valley Upper Elementary - 04
(Math: 48% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
1150 Northshore Dr
North Sioux City, SD 57049
(605) 422-3830
Gr: 4-5 | 206 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 30%

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Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 4 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 1,386 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 25%
  • : ≥95% (Btm 50% in SD)
  • : Top 30%
  • : 50% (Top 50%)
  • : 64% (Top 20%)
  • : 47% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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