Public schools in Sioux Falls, SD
64 open public schools with an address in Sioux Falls, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
64
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
29,004
63 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.7:1
South Dakota median 12.5:1
Charter schools
0
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Sioux Falls public schools
The federal directory lists 64 public schools in Sioux Falls, SD: 34 elementary, 10 middle, 15 high, 5 combined or other. The 63 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 29,004 students, an average of 460 per school. The largest campus is Lincoln High School - 02 (1,954 students), and the largest elementary school is Discovery Elementary - 26 (873).
Sioux Falls School District 49-5 operates the most schools here (44), and 5 regular districts have at least one Sioux Falls campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. 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 13.7:1, 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.
School choice options include 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 12 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 5 of 14 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 47% 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 Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls School District 49-5
Public school district
44 schools in Sioux Falls · 45 total
East Dakota Educational Cooperative
Education service agency
8 schools in Sioux Falls
Harrisburg School District 41-2
Public school district
7 schools in Sioux Falls · 11 total
Brandon Valley School District 49-2
Public school district
2 schools in Sioux Falls · 7 total
West Central School District 49-7
Public school district
2 schools in Sioux Falls · 6 total
Tea Area School District 41-5
Public school district
1 school in Sioux Falls · 6 total
Elementary schools in Sioux Falls
34| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Elementary - 10 Harrisburg School District 41-2 · Magnet | KG–05 | 440 | 16.4:1 | |
| All City Elementary - 50 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 149 | 17.4:1 | |
| Anne Sullivan Elementary - 20 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 632 | 14:1 | |
| Bridges At Horace Mann - 52 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 55 | 3.4:1 | |
| Challenge Center - 51 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 02–05 | 165 | 14.9:1 | |
| Cleveland Elementary - 14 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 465 | 13.4:1 | |
| Discovery Elementary - 26 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 873 | 17.3:1 | |
| Elementary Immersion Center - 43 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 106 | 13.4:1 | |
| Endeavor Elementary - 07 Harrisburg School District 41-2 | PK–05 | 358 | 13.4:1 | |
| Eugene Field A+ Elementary - 16 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 444 | 16.3:1 | |
| Explorer Elementary - 04 Harrisburg School District 41-2 | KG–05 | 338 | 13.3:1 | |
| Fred Assam Elementary - 06 Brandon Valley School District 49-2 | KG–04 | 531 | 18.2:1 | |
| Garfield Elementary - 19 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 574 | 14.2:1 | |
| Harvey Dunn Elementary - 54 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 681 | 18:1 | |
| Hawthorne Elementary - 56 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 443 | 12.9:1 | |
| Hayward Elementary - 38 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 728 | 14.2:1 | |
| Horizon Elementary - 09 Harrisburg School District 41-2 | PK–05 | 458 | 12.8:1 | |
| Inspiration Elementary - 08 Brandon Valley School District 49-2 | KG–04 | 345 | 14.9:1 | |
| John F. Kennedy Elementary - 57 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 661 | 15.4:1 | |
| John Harris Elementary - 23 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 666 | 17.8:1 | |
| Journey Elementary - 05 Harrisburg School District 41-2 | KG–05 | 340 | 13.2:1 | |
| Laura B. Anderson Elementary - 10 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 291 | 11.3:1 | |
| Laura Wilder Elementary - 31 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 447 | 14.8:1 | |
| Lowell Elementary - 28 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 426 | 14.3:1 | |
| Marcella LeBeau Elementary Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | — | — | |
| Oscar Howe Elementary - 58 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 608 | 17.2:1 | |
| RF Pettigrew Elementary - 17 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 846 | 17.4:1 | |
| Robert Frost Elementary - 18 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 447 | 16.9:1 | |
| Rosa Parks Elementary - 15 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 618 | 15.7:1 | |
| Sonia Sotomayor Elementary - 65 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–05 | 690 | 18.1:1 | |
| Susan B. Anthony Elementary - 66 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 472 | 15:1 | |
| Tea Area Frontier Elementary - 05 Tea Area School District 41-5 | KG–05 | 292 | 13.9:1 | |
| Teachwell Elementary and Intermediate - 09 East Dakota Educational Cooperative · Alternative School | KG–05 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Terry Redlin Elementary - 11 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | KG–05 | 412 | 10.9:1 |
Middle schools in Sioux Falls
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axtell Park Middle School - 47 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · Alternative School | 06–08 | 31 | 2.7:1 | |
| Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 06–08 | 885 | 14.3:1 | |
| Edison Middle School - 06 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 06–08 | 937 | 15.5:1 | |
| George McGovern Middle School -09 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 06–08 | 780 | 13.1:1 | |
| Harrisburg East Middle School - 11 Harrisburg School District 41-2 | 06–08 | 428 | 12.2:1 | |
| Harrisburg North Middle School - 08 Harrisburg School District 41-2 | 06–08 | 534 | 12.3:1 | |
| Memorial Middle School - 04 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 06–08 | 1,133 | 16.7:1 | |
| Patrick Henry Middle School - 07 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 06–08 | 925 | 15.8:1 | |
| Teachwell Academy Middle School - 04 East Dakota Educational Cooperative · Alternative School | 06–08 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Whittier Middle School - 08 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 06–08 | 675 | 12.5:1 |
High schools in Sioux Falls
15| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avera Adolescent Addiction Care Program - 81 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · Alternative School | 06–12 | 2 | 1:1 | |
| Brighten Transition Youth Treatment Center - 07 West Central School District 49-7 · Alternative School | 08–12 | 6 | 2.4:1 | |
| Community Campus - 41 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · Special Education School | 12–12 | 77 | 7.7:1 | |
| CTE - 37 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 1 | 0.2:1 | |
| Falls Academy - 08 West Central School District 49-7 · Alternative School | 05–12 | 29 | 60.4:1 | |
| Jefferson High School - 67 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 09–12 | 1,888 | 16.2:1 | |
| Lincoln High School - 02 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 09–12 | 1,954 | 16.5:1 | |
| Project Search - Avera McKennan 07 East Dakota Educational Cooperative · Special Education School | 12–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Roosevelt High School - 03 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 09–12 | 1,785 | 16.9:1 | |
| Structured Teaching - 12 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · Special Education School | 06–12 | 16 | 3.6:1 | |
| Teachwell Academy High School - 01 East Dakota Educational Cooperative · Alternative School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Teachwell Connect - 92 East Dakota Educational Cooperative | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Teachwell Strive -05 East Dakota Educational Cooperative · Special Education School | 10–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Teachwell Thrive - 03 East Dakota Educational Cooperative · Special Education School | 12–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Washington High School - 01 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | 09–12 | 1,819 | 15.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Sioux Falls
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARISE Shelter Care - 71 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · Alternative School | KG–12 | 4 | 2.9:1 | |
| Avera Behavioral Health Program - 82 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · Alternative School | KG–12 | 9 | 2.2:1 | |
| Summit Oaks-Residential - 48 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · Special Education School | KG–12 | 20 | 6.5:1 | |
| Teachwell Prosper - 08 East Dakota Educational Cooperative · Special Education School | KG–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| The Learning Lab Early Childhood - 74 Sioux Falls School District 49-5 | PK–PK | 65 | 10:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White57.7%
- Hispanic15.4%
- Black12.1%
- Asian2.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native4.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial7.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 55 Sioux Falls schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (29,004 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Sioux Falls
How many public schools are in Sioux Falls, SD?
The current NCES directory lists 64 open public schools with a location address in Sioux Falls: 34 elementary, 10 middle, 15 high, 5 combined or other. Together they reported 29,004 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Sioux Falls?
Schools with an address in Sioux Falls belong to 6 education agencies, led by Sioux Falls School District 49-5 (44 schools), East Dakota Educational Cooperative (8 schools), Harrisburg School District 41-2 (7 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Sioux Falls?
Lincoln High School - 02 reported the largest high-school enrollment in Sioux Falls, with 1,954 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Sioux Falls?
No school with an address in Sioux Falls 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 Sioux Falls schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Sioux Falls public schools is 13.7:1, 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 Sioux Falls 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