Douglas School District 51-1

400 Patriot Dr
Box Elder, SD 57719
(District boundaries shown in map)
4/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Douglas School District 51-1 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 2025 school year, there are 5 public schools serving 2,753 students in Douglas School District 51-1. This district's average testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public schools in South Dakota.
Public Schools in Douglas School District 51-1 have an average math proficiency score of 39% (versus the South Dakota public school average of 43%), and reading proficiency score of 51% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 34% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the South Dakota public school average of 33% (majority American Indian).

Overview

This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
5 Schools
734 Schools
# Students
2,753 Students
146,041 Students
# Teachers
177 Teachers
10,645 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

District Rank

Douglas School District 51-1, 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 80-84% has decreased from 90-94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#94 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of Douglas School District 51-1, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
39%
42%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Douglas School District 51-1 and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
51%
51%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Douglas School District 51-1 and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
41%
42%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Douglas School District 51-1 and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
80-84%
82%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of Douglas School District 51-1 and public school graduation rate of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.53
0.53
# American Indian Students
217 Students
20,873 Students
% American Indian Students
8%
14%
# Asian Students
21 Students
2,252 Students
% Asian Students
1%
2%
# Hispanic Students
302 Students
11,917 Students
% Hispanic Students
11%
8%
# Black Students
47 Students
4,730 Students
% Black Students
2%
3%
# White Students
1,823 Students
97,780 Students
% White Students
66%
67%
# Hawaiian Students
12 Students
197 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
331 Students
8,292 Students
% of Two or more races Students
12%
6%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
-
3,175
# Students in K Grade:
238
11,936
# Students in 1st Grade:
224
10,796
# Students in 2nd Grade:
236
10,955
# Students in 3rd Grade:
238
10,445
# Students in 4th Grade:
205
10,671
# Students in 5th Grade:
237
10,790
# Students in 6th Grade:
208
10,961
# Students in 7th Grade:
206
11,058
# Students in 8th Grade:
209
11,237
# Students in 9th Grade:
253
12,230
# Students in 10th Grade:
185
11,381
# Students in 11th Grade:
174
10,546
# Students in 12th Grade:
140
9,860
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,308 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,121. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,736 is less than the state median of $12,623. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (SD)
Total Revenue
$34 MM
$1,916 MM
This chart displays total revenue of Douglas School District 51-1 and median value from total revenues of all school districts in South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$30 MM
$1,844 MM
This chart displays total spending of Douglas School District 51-1 and median value from total spendings of all school districts in South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$12,308
$13,121
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in Douglas School District 51-1 and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$10,736
$12,623
This chart displays average spending per public school student in Douglas School District 51-1 and average spending per public school student of all school districts in South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best Douglas School District 51-1 Public Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Patriot Elementary -06
(Math: 53% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
421 Don Williams Dr
Box Elder, SD 57719
(605) 923-0080
Grades: K-3
| 936 students
Rank: #22.
Douglas High School - 03
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
420 Patriot Dr
Box Elder, SD 57719
(605) 923-0030
Grades: 9-12
| 752 students
Rank: #33.
Vandenberg Elementary - 02
(Math: 42% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
561 Briggs St
Box Elder, SD 57719
(605) 923-0060
Grades: 4-5
| 442 students
Rank: #44.
Douglas Middle School - 01
(Math: 32% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
691 Tower Rd
Box Elder, SD 57719
(605) 923-0050
Grades: 6-8
| 623 students
Rank: n/an/a
421 Don Williams Dr
Box Elder, SD 57719
(605) 923-0000
Grades: PK
| n/a students

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Douglas School District 51-1?
Douglas School District 51-1 manages 5 public schools serving 2,753 students.
What is the rank of Douglas School District 51-1?
Douglas School District 51-1 is ranked #91 out of 146 school districts in South Dakota (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of South Dakota school districts for: Most diverse schools (Top 1%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Douglas School District 51-1?
66% of Douglas School District 51-1 students are White, 12% of students are Two or more races, 11% of students are Hispanic, 8% of students are American Indian, 2% of students are Black, and 1% of students are Asian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Douglas School District 51-1?
Douglas School District 51-1 has a student/teacher ratio of 16:1, which is higher than the South Dakota state average of 14:1.
What is Douglas School District 51-1's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $10,736 is less than the state median of $12,623. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 5 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 2,753 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 34%
  • : 80-84% (Top 30% in SD)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 39% (Btm 50%)
  • : 51% (Btm 50%)
  • : 41% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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