Public schools in Rapid City, SD
23 open public schools with an address in Rapid City, operated by 1 education agency. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
23
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
11,935
23 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.8:1
South Dakota median 12.5:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Rapid City public schools
The federal directory lists 23 public schools in Rapid City, SD: 13 elementary, 5 middle, 3 high, 2 combined or other. The 23 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 11,935 students, an average of 519 per school. The largest campus is Central High School - 41 (1,998 students), and the largest elementary school is Valley View Elementary - 13 (605).
Every listed school belongs to Rapid City Area School District 51-4. 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 15.8:1, 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.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 44% 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 Rapid City
Elementary schools in Rapid City
13| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corral Drive Elementary - 21 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 439 | 20:1 | |
| General Beadle Elementary - 01 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | PK–05 | 483 | 18.5:1 | |
| Grandview Elementary - 06 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 431 | 16.4:1 | |
| Horace Mann Elementary - 07 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 274 | 13.6:1 | |
| Knollwood Heights Elementary - 08 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 368 | 13:1 | |
| Meadowbrook Elementary - 10 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 478 | 16.5:1 | |
| Pinedale Elementary - 11 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 377 | 16.8:1 | |
| Rapid Valley Elementary - 12 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | PK–05 | 486 | 15.5:1 | |
| Robbinsdale Elementary - 14 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | PK–05 | 328 | 13:1 | |
| South Canyon Elementary - 15 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 274 | 14.4:1 | |
| South Park Elementary - 16 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 313 | 13.9:1 | |
| Valley View Elementary - 13 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 605 | 17.8:1 | |
| Woodrow Wilson Elementary - 17 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | KG–05 | 328 | 15.8:1 |
Middle schools in Rapid City
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Middle School - 30 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | 06–08 | 613 | 15.8:1 | |
| North Middle School - 35 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | 06–08 | 418 | 12:1 | |
| South Middle School - 36 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | 06–08 | 618 | 13.7:1 | |
| Southwest Middle School - 38 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | 06–08 | 614 | 16.3:1 | |
| West Middle School - 37 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | 06–08 | 591 | 15.4:1 |
High schools in Rapid City
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School - 41 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | 09–12 | 1,998 | 17:1 | |
| Lincoln Building - 44 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 · Special Education School | 12–12 | 23 | 23:1 | |
| Stevens High School - 42 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 | 09–12 | 1,771 | 19.5:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Rapid City
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Building - 64 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 · Special Education School | PK–12 | 98 | 6.4:1 | |
| Wellfully - 65 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 · Alternative School | 01–12 | 7 | 7:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White57.5%
- Hispanic10.5%
- Black1.1%
- Asian1.2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native17.7%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial12%
Enrollment-weighted across 23 Rapid City schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (11,935 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Rapid City
How many public schools are in Rapid City, SD?
The current NCES directory lists 23 open public schools with a location address in Rapid City: 13 elementary, 5 middle, 3 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 11,935 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Rapid City?
All listed public schools with an address in Rapid City belong to Rapid City Area School District 51-4. 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 Rapid City?
Central High School - 41 reported the largest high-school enrollment in Rapid City, with 1,998 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Rapid City?
No school with an address in Rapid City 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 Rapid City schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Rapid City public schools is 15.8:1, 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 Rapid City 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