Hill City School District 51-2

488 Main St
Hill City, SD 57745
(District boundaries shown in map)
6/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Hill City School District 51-2 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 2 public elementary schools serving 354 students in Hill City School District 51-2. 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 Hill City School District 51-2 have an average math proficiency score of 39% (versus the South Dakota public elementary school average of 43%), and reading proficiency score of 58% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 29% 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
3 Schools
495 Schools
# Students
508 Students
100,764 Students
# Teachers
35 Teachers
7,485 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Hill City School District 51-2, 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 90% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#70 out of 148 school districts
(Top 50%)
39%
42%
60%
51%
55-59%
42%
(21-22)
≥90%
82%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.46
0.55
% American Indian
4%
17%
% Asian
1%
2%
% Hispanic
18%
8%
% Black
n/a
3%
% White
72%
64%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $14,618 is higher than the state median of $13,146. The school district revenue/student has declined by 6% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,435 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
$7 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$6 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student
$14,618
$13,146
Spending / Student
$12,435
$12,647

Best Hill City School District 51-2 Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Hill City Middle School - 04
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
341 Main St
Hill City, SD 57745
(605) 574-3025
Gr: 6-8 | 118 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 29%
Rank: #22.
Hill City Elementary - 02
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
341 Main St
Hill City, SD 57745
(605) 574-3015
Gr: PK-5 | 236 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 28%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 3 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 508 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 29%
  • : ≥90% (Btm 50% in SD)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 39% (Btm 50%)
  • : 60% (Top 30%)
  • : 55-59% (Top 5%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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