Lyman School District 42-1

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.

Presho, South Dakota - 3 schools

An equity score of 83/100 ranks Lyman School District 42-1 #13 of 121 districts in South Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $16,098 per pupil, Lyman School District 42-1 ranks #26 of 149 South Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (South Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

370
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$16,098
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lyman School District 42-1 operates 3 public schools serving 370 students, placing it among the smallest districts in South Dakota. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 middle, 1 high 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 Lyman County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,098 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 48.0% local, 18.5% state, and 33.5% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 83/100, ranked #13 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 111.7:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 29.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 58.7% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lyman Middle School - 02, with a diversity index of 56.4/100.

Its largest campus is Lyman Elementary - 04, enrolling 171 students (51% of the district's total enrollment).

Lyman Elementary - 04 accounts for 46.2% of all Lyman School District 42-1 student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Lyman School District 42-1 a distant remainder — means Lyman School District 42-1-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

Lyman School District 42-1 school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Lyman School District 42-1 school enrollment ranges from 80 students (lowest) to 171 students (highest), a spread of 91 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

Lyman School District 42-1 student-counselor ratio is 112:1 — 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

Lyman School District 42-1 chronic absenteeism rate is 29.7% — 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 Lyman School District 42-1 is typically wider than the Lyman School District 42-1-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

33.5%
Federal
18.5%
State
48.0%
Local

Funding Equity

83
Equity Score
13 / 121
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Lyman School District 42-1.

White 58.7%
Multiracial 7.0%
Other 34.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 52.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Lyman School District 42-1's schools, above the South Dakota average of 27.6.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lyman Middle School - 02 56.4
  2. 2 Lyman Elementary - 04 53.6
  3. 3 Lyman High School - 01 46.6

Programs & Resources

111.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
29.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Lyman School District 42-1

School Enrollment
Lyman Elementary - 04
171
Lyman Middle School - 02
84
Lyman High School - 01
80

How Lyman School District 42-1 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Eagle Butte School District 20-1 Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Timber Lake School District 20-3 Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Wolsey Wessington School District 02-6 Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Kimball School District 07-2 Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Faulkton Area Schools 24-4 Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Lyman School District 42-1'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 Lyman School District 42-1

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 Lyman School District 42-1?

Lyman School District 42-1 has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 middle, 1 high. Total enrollment is 370 students.

How much does Lyman School District 42-1 spend per student?

Lyman School District 42-1 spends $16,098 per student. The district has an equity score of 83/100, ranking #13 in South Dakota.

What is the demographic composition of Lyman School District 42-1?

Lyman School District 42-1 students are 58.7% White, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lyman School District 42-1?

Lyman School District 42-1 has an equity score of 83/100, ranking #13 out of 121 districts in South Dakota.