Public schools in Box Elder, SD
5 open public schools with an address in Box Elder, operated by 1 education agency. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
5
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
1,826
3 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.3:1
South Dakota median 12.5:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Box Elder public schools
The federal directory lists 5 public schools in Box Elder, SD: 3 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high. The 3 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 1,826 students, an average of 609 per school. The largest campus is Douglas High School - 03 (739 students), and the largest elementary school is Vandenberg Elementary - 02 (454).
Every listed school belongs to Douglas School District 51-1. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 15.3:1, higher than the statewide school median of 12.5:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
About 36% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Box Elder
Elementary schools in Box Elder
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Badger Clark Elementary - 05 Douglas School District 51-1 | PK–03 | — | — | |
| Francis Case Elementary - 04 Douglas School District 51-1 | PK–03 | — | — | |
| Vandenberg Elementary - 02 Douglas School District 51-1 | 04–05 | 454 | 15.3:1 |
Middle schools in Box Elder
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Middle School - 01 Douglas School District 51-1 | 06–08 | 633 | 14.2:1 |
High schools in Box Elder
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas High School - 03 Douglas School District 51-1 | 09–12 | 739 | 17.1:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White66.5%
- Hispanic11%
- Black1.6%
- Asian0.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native8%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.4%
- Multiracial11.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 3 Box Elder schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (1,826 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Box Elder
How many public schools are in Box Elder, SD?
The current NCES directory lists 5 open public schools with a location address in Box Elder: 3 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high. Together they reported 1,826 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Box Elder?
All listed public schools with an address in Box Elder belong to Douglas School District 51-1. Mailing cities do not always match district boundaries, so confirm the district for a specific home address.
What is the largest public high school in Box Elder?
Douglas High School - 03 reported the largest high-school enrollment in Box Elder, with 739 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Box Elder?
No school with an address in Box Elder is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in South Dakota.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Box Elder schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Box Elder public schools is 15.3:1, higher than the South Dakota school median of 12.5:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Box Elder guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby South Dakota cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All South Dakota cities