Best public high schools in South Dakota

As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.

It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.6 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.

For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.

Stacker compiled a list of the best public high schools in South Dakota using 2027 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.

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#25. Harrisburg High School

- Location: Harrisburg School District, SD
- Enrollment: 1,806 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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#24. Wolsey Wessington High School

- Location: Wolsey Wessington School District, SD
- Enrollment: 96 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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#23. Mobridge High School

- Location: Mobridge-Pollock School District, SD
- Enrollment: 194 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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#22. Ipswich High School

- Location: Ipswich Public School District 22-6, SD
- Enrollment: 103 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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#21. Stevens High School

- Location: Rapid City Area School District, SD
- Enrollment: 1,771 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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#20. Hamlin High School

- Location: Hamlin School District, SD
- Enrollment: 226 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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#19. Philip High School

- Location: Haakon School District, SD
- Enrollment: 109 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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#18. Gregory High School

- Location: Gregory School District, SD
- Enrollment: 117 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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#17. Spearfish High School

- Location: Spearfish School District, SD
- Enrollment: 787 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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#16. Chester High School

- Location: Chester Area School District, SD
- Enrollment: 107 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#15. Jefferson High School - 67

- Location: Sioux Falls School District, SD
- Enrollment: 1,888 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#14. Roosevelt High School

- Location: Sioux Falls School District, SD
- Enrollment: 1,785 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#13. McIntosh High School

- Location: McIntosh School District, SD
- Enrollment: 42 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#12. Dakota Valley High School

- Location: Dakota Valley School District, SD
- Enrollment: 431 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#11. Hill City High School

- Location: Hill City School District, SD
- Enrollment: 158 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#10. Kadoka Area High School

- Location: Kadoka Area School District, SD
- Enrollment: 71 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#9. Mitchell High School

- Location: Mitchell School District, SD
- Enrollment: 879 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#8. Hanson High School

- Location: Hanson School District, SD
- Enrollment: 122 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#7. Sioux Valley High School

- Location: Sioux Valley School District, SD
- Enrollment: 214 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#6. Baltic High School

- Location: Baltic School District, SD
- Enrollment: 151 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#5. Brandon Valley High School

- Location: Brandon Valley School District, SD
- Enrollment: 1,381 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#4. Washington High School

- Location: Sioux Falls School District, SD
- Enrollment: 1,819 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#3. Howard High School

- Location: Howard School District, SD
- Enrollment: 96 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#2. Parkston High School

- Location: Parkston School District, SD
- Enrollment: 112 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#1. Lincoln High School

- Location: Sioux Falls School District, SD
- Enrollment: 1,954 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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