Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Alcester, South Dakota - 3 schools

An equity score of 60/100 ranks Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 #35 of 121 districts in South Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,011 per pupil, Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 ranks #72 of 149 South Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (South Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

352
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$13,011
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 operates 3 public schools serving 352 students, placing it among the smallest districts in South Dakota. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Union County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,011 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 149 South Dakota districts by per-pupil spending. See how South Dakota compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 58.8% local, 27.9% state, and 13.3% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 60/100, ranked #35 of 121 in South Dakota against a state average of 51, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 321.2:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 23.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.3% White, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Alcester-Hudson Jr. High - 03, with a diversity index of 29.5/100.

Its largest campus is Alcester-Hudson Elementary - 04, enrolling 166 students (52% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Alcester-Hudson Jr. High - 03, at 53 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Alcester-Hudson Elementary - 04 accounts for 47.2% of all Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 a distant remainder — means Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 school enrollment varies 3.1× across entities

Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 school enrollment ranges from 53 students (lowest) to 166 students (highest), a spread of 113 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 student-counselor ratio is 321:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 is typically wider than the Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 chronic absenteeism rate is 23.5% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 is typically wider than the Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

13.3%
Federal
27.9%
State
58.8%
Local

Funding Equity

60
Equity Score
35 / 121
State Rank
51
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1.

White 88.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.9%
Multiracial 3.5%
Other 1.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 21.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1's schools, below the South Dakota average of 27.6.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Alcester-Hudson Jr. High - 03 29.5
  2. 2 Alcester-Hudson High School - 01 17.0
  3. 3 Alcester-Hudson Elementary - 04 16.9

Programs & Resources

321.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
23.5%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1

School Enrollment
Alcester-Hudson Elementary - 04
166
Alcester-Hudson High School - 01
99
Alcester-Hudson Jr. High - 03
53

How Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The South Dakota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Howard School District 48-3 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Kimball School District 07-2 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Wolsey Wessington School District 02-6 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Eagle Butte School District 20-1 Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Timber Lake School District 20-3 Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in South Dakota

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Sioux Falls School District 49-5 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1?

Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 352 students.

How much does Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 spend per student?

Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 spends $13,011 per student. The district has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #35 in South Dakota.

What is the demographic composition of Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1?

Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 students are 88.3% White, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1?

Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1 has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #35 out of 121 districts in South Dakota.