Burke School District 26-2

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.

Burke, South Dakota - 3 schools

An equity score of 67/100 ranks Burke School District 26-2 #28 of 121 districts in South Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,787 per pupil, Burke School District 26-2 ranks #38 of 149 South Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (South Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

237
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$14,787
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Burke School District 26-2 operates 3 public schools serving 237 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 Gregory County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,787 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 55.1% local, 34.0% state, and 10.9% 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 67/100, ranked #28 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 87:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 12.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.8% White, 0.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Burke Middle School - 04, with a diversity index of 25.6/100.

Its largest campus is Burke Elementary - 02, enrolling 105 students (40% of the district's total enrollment).

Burke Elementary - 02 accounts for 40.2% of all Burke School District 26-2 student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Burke School District 26-2-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

Burke School District 26-2 student-counselor ratio is 87:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

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

Burke School District 26-2 chronic absenteeism rate is 12.7% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Where does the funding come from?

10.9%
Federal
34.0%
State
55.1%
Local

Funding Equity

67
Equity Score
28 / 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 Burke School District 26-2.

White 91.8%
Multiracial 0.9%
Other 6.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 15.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Burke School District 26-2's schools, below the South Dakota average of 27.6.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Burke Middle School - 04 25.6
  2. 2 Burke High School - 01 12.1
  3. 3 Burke Elementary - 02 7.4

Programs & Resources

87:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
12.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Burke School District 26-2

School Enrollment
Burke Elementary - 02
105
Burke High School - 01
94
Burke Middle School - 04
62

How Burke School District 26-2 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Iroquois School District 02-3 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Langford Area 45-5 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Agar-Blunt-Onida School District 58-3 Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Rosholt School District 54-4 Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Burke School District 26-2'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 Burke School District 26-2

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 Burke School District 26-2?

Burke School District 26-2 has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 237 students.

How much does Burke School District 26-2 spend per student?

Burke School District 26-2 spends $14,787 per student. The district has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #28 in South Dakota.

What is the demographic composition of Burke School District 26-2?

Burke School District 26-2 students are 91.8% White, 0.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Burke School District 26-2?

Burke School District 26-2 has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #28 out of 121 districts in South Dakota.