District overview
At a glance
Source years shown below
Reported students
582
NCES CCD 2024–25, where reported
Open schools
6
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Student–teacher ratio
16.5:1
Calculated from NCES 2024–25 enrollment and teacher FTE
Spending per pupil
$10,311
Current expenditure · FY 2023 F-33
Instruction per pupil
$5,958
Calculated from FY 2023 F-33
Grades served
PK–12
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
District interpretation
What the numbers say about Chester Area School District 39-1
Chester Area School District 39-1 operates 6 current public-school records serving grades PK–12 in Chester, South Dakota. NCES reports 582 students and 35.33 classroom teacher FTE for 2024–25.
By reported enrollment, the district ranks 42 of 154 South Dakota districts with data. That position describes scale only—it does not say whether individual schools are a good fit for a particular student.
FY 2023 finance records show $10,311 in current expenditure per pupil and $5,958 per pupil assigned to instruction. This places reported current spending 139 of 146 districts in South Dakota. Local wages, transportation, special education, facilities, and district responsibilities all affect this comparison.
Student context
Needs schools plan for
- English learners
- 10.6%
- Students with disabilities (IDEA)
- 10.8%
- Classroom teachers (FTE)
- 35.33
- Current expenditure (FY 2023)
- $5,939,000
Context measures describe who a district serves and its resources. They are not negative rating inputs.
Chester Area School District 39-1 location
Chester, South Dakota · 43.9002, -96.9301. This is the NCES EDGE district-office point, not an attendance boundary.
Open exact point in OpenStreetMap →Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White96%
- Hispanic1.5%
- Black0%
- Asian0%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial2.2%
Race/ethnicity: NCES CCD 2024–25 where reported, otherwise CRDC 2021–22. English learner and disability context: CRDC 2021–22. Totals can differ due to rounding or source privacy rules.
Interactive campus directory
Explore schools in Chester Area School District 39-1
6 current directory entries
Filter by school level or name, then sort by enrollment or reported student–teacher ratio.
Showing 6 of 6 schools
| School | Level | Grades | Students | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Area Colony High School - 08 Virtual | High | 09–12 | 106 | 25.2:1 |
| Chester Elementary -02 | Elementary | PK–05 | 154 | 15.4:1 |
| Chester High School - 01 | High | 09–12 | 107 | 10.6:1 |
| Chester Middle School - 03 | Middle | 06–08 | 67 | 11.2:1 |
| Gracevale Colony Elementary - 07 | Elementary | KG–08 | 23 | 11.5:1 |
| Rustic Acres Colony Elementary - 04 | Elementary | KG–08 | 41 | 13.7:1 |