Rapid City Area School District 51-4

625 9th St Ste 208
Rapid City, SD 57701
(District boundaries shown in map)
3/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Rapid City Area School District 51-4 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 4 public preschools serving 1,395 students in Rapid City Area School District 51-4. This district's average pre testing ranking is 2/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in South Dakota.
Public Preschools in Rapid City Area School District 51-4 have an average math proficiency score of 27% (versus the South Dakota public pre school average of 45%), and reading proficiency score of 32% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 56% of the student body (majority American Indian), which is more than the South Dakota public preschool average of 34% (majority American Indian and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
25 Schools
148 Schools
# Students
12,313 Students
32,407 Students
# Teachers
768 Teachers
2,479 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Rapid City Area School District 51-4, 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 71% has decreased from 75% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#109 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
37%
42%
46%
51%
38%
42%
71%
84%
(2022-23)
34.8%
22.5%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.61
0.53
% American Indian
17%
13%
% Asian
1%
1%
% Hispanic
11%
10%
% Black
1%
4%
% White
58%
66%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
12%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $14,739 is higher than the state median of $14,736. The school district revenue/student has grown by 13% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,404 is less than the state median of $15,173. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
This School District
This State (SD)
Total Revenue
$182 MM
$2,163 MM
Spending
$165 MM
$2,227 MM
Revenue / Student
$14,739
$14,736
Spending / Student
$13,404
$15,173

Best Rapid City Area School District 51-4 Public Preschools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Rapid Valley Elementary - 12
(Math: 46% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
2601 Covington St
Rapid City, SD 57703
(605) 393-2221
Gr: PK-5 | 486 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #22.
Robbinsdale Elementary - 14
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
424 E Indiana St
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-1825
Gr: PK-5 | 328 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 53%
Rank: #33.
General Beadle Elementary - 01
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
10 Van Buren St
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-1841
Gr: PK-5 | 483 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 81%
Rank: n/an/a
Jefferson Building - 64
Special Education School
21 St Joseph St
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-1813
Gr: PK-12 | 98 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Minority enrollment: 51%

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Quick Facts (2026-27)

  • District size: 25 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 12,313 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 42%
  • : 71% (Top 30% in SD)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 37% (Btm 50%)
  • : 46% (Btm 50%)
  • : 38% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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