Report Card Finds Bright Spots Across South Dakota Schools

The South Dakota Department of Education (DOE) released the School Year (SY) 2025-26 Report Card, providing educational data on several components that reflect public school academic performance across the state. Through this report, families, schools, and the department can identify bright spots and areas for improvement to fulfill the commitment that students exit the K-12 education system College, Career, and Life Ready.

Student Attendance

Regular school attendance is pivotal for student success. While the percentage of students attending regularly increased by one percentage point, more work remains. It is a priority for the department that schools and families work together to reinforce the positive impact of attending school. When students are not in the classroom, they miss out on instruction, personal growth, and more.

Graduation Rates

Public-school students graduated within the traditional four-year time frame at the highest rate in over 14 years, at 88%. Additionally, Native American students exceeded the on-time graduation rate of their peers last year by a remarkable 10 percentage points. This means more students are successfully reaching a key milestone, providing them options for what comes next.

The department has invested in programs designed to boost student engagement to keep students in the K-12 system through high school completion. Programs such as Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Jobs for America’s Graduates allow students to achieve high school credentials while working towards their future aspirations.

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Student Proficiency

Math proficiency increased by one percentage point to 45% across all students who tested, and English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency fell by two percentage points to 50%. The percentage of students demonstrating grade-level knowledge and skills will continue to fluctuate with the transition to the ACT as South Dakota’s high school assessment and as the DOE’s long-term investments in ELA and math expand.

Forward Looking

The department expects ELA proficiencies to improve in a significant fashion over the next few years as the Science of Reading continues to be integrated into school curricula. New math standards rooted in explicit instruction, adopted last year, will return positive strides in numeracy. School attendance will continue to strengthen through collaboration among schools and families and as investments in engaging students in their academic future continue.

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