Mclaughlin School District 15-2

601 S Main St
Mclaughlin, SD 57642
(District boundaries shown in map)
1/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Mclaughlin School District 15-2 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 2 public elementary schools serving 280 students in Mclaughlin School District 15-2. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in South Dakota.
Public Elementary Schools in Mclaughlin School District 15-2 have an average math proficiency score of 5% (versus the South Dakota public elementary school average of 43%), and reading proficiency score of 7% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 99% of the student body (majority American Indian), which is more than the South Dakota public elementary school average of 36% (majority American Indian).

Overview

This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
3 Schools
497 Schools
# Students
427 Students
101,009 Students
# Teachers
46 Teachers
7,507 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
9:1
9:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Mclaughlin School District 15-2, 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 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 65% has increased from 50-59% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#147 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(21-22)
≤5%
42%
10-14%
51%
≤5%
42%
65%
82%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.08
0.55
% American Indian
96%
17%
% Asian
2%
2%
% Hispanic
n/a
8%
% Black
n/a
3%
% White
1%
64%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
1%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $27,431 is higher than the state median of $13,121. The school district revenue/student has grown by 8% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $24,197 is higher than the state median of $12,623. The school district spending/student has grown by 8% over four school years.
This School District
This State (SD)
Total Revenue
$12 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$10 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student
$27,431
$13,121
Spending / Student
$24,197
$12,623

Best Mclaughlin School District 15-2 Public Elementary Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #1 - 21. - 2.
Mclaughlin Elementary - 02
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
601 Main
Mc Laughlin, SD 57642
(605) 823-4484
Grades: PK-5
| 209 students
Rank: #1 - 21. - 2.
Mclaughlin Middle School - 03
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
701 Main
Mc Laughlin, SD 57642
(605) 823-4484
Grades: 6-8
| 71 students

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 3 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 427 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 9:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 99%
  • : 65% (Top 30% in SD)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : ≤5% (Btm 50%)
  • : 10-14% (Btm 50%)
  • : ≤5% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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