Canton School District 41-1

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.

Canton, South Dakota - 3 schools

An equity score of 43/100 ranks Canton School District 41-1 #71 of 121 districts in South Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,924 per pupil, Canton School District 41-1 ranks #90 of 149 South Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (South Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

874
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$11,924
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Canton School District 41-1 operates 3 public schools serving 874 students, placing it among the smallest districts in South Dakota. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 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 Lincoln County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,924 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower 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 59.6% local, 30.7% state, and 9.7% 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 43/100, ranked #71 of 121 in South Dakota against a state average of 51, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 296:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 13.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.0% White, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Canton High School - 01, with a diversity index of 18.6/100.

Its largest campus is Lawrence Elementary - 02, enrolling 411 students (46% of the district's total enrollment).

Lawrence Elementary - 02 accounts for 46.3% of all Canton School District 41-1 student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Canton School District 41-1 a distant remainder — means Canton School District 41-1-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Canton School District 41-1 school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Canton School District 41-1 school enrollment ranges from 194 students (lowest) to 411 students (highest), a spread of 217 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

Canton School District 41-1 student-counselor ratio is 296:1 — 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 Canton School District 41-1 is typically wider than the Canton School District 41-1-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Canton School District 41-1 chronic absenteeism rate is 13.6% — 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?

9.7%
Federal
30.7%
State
59.6%
Local

Funding Equity

43
Equity Score
71 / 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 Canton School District 41-1.

White 92.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.0%
African American 1.1%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 2.4%
Other 1.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 15.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Canton School District 41-1's schools, below the South Dakota average of 27.6.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Canton High School - 01 18.6
  2. 2 Canton Middle School - 04 13.7
  3. 3 Lawrence Elementary - 02 13.0

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
1 AP courses total
296:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
13.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Canton School District 41-1

School Enrollment
Lawrence Elementary - 02
411
Canton High School - 01
283
Canton Middle School - 04
194

How Canton School District 41-1 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Hamlin School District 28-3 Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Chamberlain School District 07-1 Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Wagner Community School District 11-4 Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Custer School District 16-1 Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Winner School District 59-2 Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Canton School District 41-1'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 Canton School District 41-1

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 Canton School District 41-1?

Canton School District 41-1 has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 874 students.

How much does Canton School District 41-1 spend per student?

Canton School District 41-1 spends $11,924 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #71 in South Dakota.

What is the demographic composition of Canton School District 41-1?

Canton School District 41-1 students are 92.0% White, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Canton School District 41-1?

Canton School District 41-1 has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #71 out of 121 districts in South Dakota.