South Dakota’s K-12 population dropped slightly this year, along with public and private school enrollment, but enrollment in alternative instruction grew once again.
That’s according to headcount numbers taken Sept. 26, 2025, and released by the South Dakota Department of Education by Dec. 31.
All totaled, there are 163,053 K-12 students across the state, with 83% of those students attending public schools, 9% enrolled in nonpublic schools and 8% in alternative instruction.
There are 934 fewer K-12 students across the state than last year’s count of 163,987, a 0.5% decrease.
Public school enrollment decreased by 1,736 students statewide. Across 147 public school districts, there were 135,577 K-12 students this fall, down from 137,313 in last year’s fall count, a decrease of slightly more than 1%.
2024 fall count: South Dakota’s public school enrollment shrank by more than 400 students, DOE reports
Private school enrollment decreased by 142 students statewide, totaling 15,043 students in nonpublic schools accredited by the SDDOE across the state, down from last year’s count of 15,185, a decrease of 1%.
Nonpublic school enrollment includes 9,462 students in private schools, 5,072 in tribal/BIE schools, 268 in special population schools, 175 in coop/multi-districts, 26 in community-based service providers, 21 in the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and 19 in alternative schools.
Alternative instruction enrollment increased by 944 students statewide, totaling 12,433 students in alternative instruction or homeschooling this fall, up from 11,489 in last year’s count, an increase of 8%.
In the Sioux Falls metro area, there are 52,325 K-12 students, with 85% attending public schools, 9% enrolled in nonpublic schools and 6% in alternative instruction.
Sioux Falls area public schools
The state’s largest public school district, the Sioux Falls School District, shrunk by 171 students this fall, down from last year’s count of 24,221 K-12 students to this year’s count of 24,050.
Sioux Falls’ neighboring public K-12 school districts saw the following enrollment changes this year:
- Harrisburg, the state’s third-largest district, grew by 173 students, from 6,182 last year to 6,355 this year.
- Brandon Valley, the state’s fourth-largest district, grew by 82 students, from 5,073 last year to 5,155 this year.
- Tea Area grew by five students, from 2,509 last year to 2,514 this year.
- West Central shrunk by 32 students, from 1,418 last year to 1,386 this year.
- Lennox grew by 14 students, from 1,119 last year to 1,133 this year.
- Tri-Valley grew by 41 students, from 952 last year to 993 this year.
- Dell Rapids shrunk by 32 students, from 965 last year to 933 this year.
- Canton shrunk by 23 students, from 888 last year to 865 this year.
- Baltic grew by three students, from 539 last year to 542 this year.
- Garretson shrunk by 10 students, from 468 last year to 458 this year.
All totaled, there are 44,384 K-12 students in Sioux Falls area public schools, a growth of 50 students or 0.1% from last fall’s count of 44,334.
Sioux Falls area private schools
Sioux Falls’ three largest private K-12 school systems saw the following enrollment changes this year:
- Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools, the largest private school system in the state, shrunk by two students, from 2,224 last year to 2,222 this year.
- Sioux Falls Christian School shrunk by nine students, from 1,447 last year to 1,438 this year.
- Sioux Falls Lutheran School grew by 41 students, from 336 last year to 377 this year.
Other local nonpublic K-12 school enrollments include:
- 221 students at St. Mary’s School in Dell Rapids;
- 130 students at Children’s Home Society of South Dakota;
- 125 at East Dakota Educational Cooperative;
- 119 at LifeScape;
- 49 at McCrossan Boys Ranch;
- 45 at Good Shepherd Lutheran School,
- 43 at Westside Christian School,
- 23 at Bethel Lutheran School;
- Four at Southeastern;
- Three at Baan Dek Montessori;
- One at 605 Prep;
- One at DakotAbilities.
All totaled, there are 4,801 K-12 students in Sioux Falls area nonpublic schools, a growth of 24 students or 0.5% from last fall’s count of 4,777.
Sioux Falls area alternative instruction
Though it’s the second-largest public school district in the state, Rapid City Area Schools saw the largest number of students opt out of public school and into alternative instruction and homeschooling once again this year, with 1,839 students, followed by the largest district, Sioux Falls, with 1,793 students.
More: Alternative education on the rise as South Dakota Legislature eyes school choice bill
Sioux Falls-area schools had the following alternative instruction enrollment shifts this year:
- 1,793 in Sioux Falls, an increase of 131 from last year’s count of 1,662;
- 379 in Harrisburg, an increase of 78 from last year’s count of 301;
- 350 in Brandon Valley, an increase of 67 from last year’s count of 283;
- 111 in Tea, a decrease of four from last year’s count of 115;
- 105 in Lennox, an increase of two from last year’s count of 103;
- 97 in West Central, an increase of six from last year’s count of 91;
- 87 in Dell Rapids, an increase of 11 from last year’s count of 76;
- 79 in Canton, a decrease of two from last year’s count of 81;
- 73 in Tri-Valley, an increase of seven from last year’s count of 66;
- 42 in Garretson, an increase of 10 from last year’s count of 32;
- 24 in Baltic, a decrease of one from last year’s count of 25.
All totaled, there are 3,140 students in alternative instruction in the Sioux Falls metro area, an increase of 305 students or 10.7% from last year’s count of 2,835.
