Madison Central School District 39-2

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.

Madison, South Dakota - 3 schools

An equity score of 31/100 ranks Madison Central School District 39-2 #96 of 121 districts in South Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,513 per pupil, Madison Central School District 39-2 ranks #121 of 149 South Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (South Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,147
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$10,513
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Madison Central School District 39-2 operates 3 public schools serving 1,147 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 Lake County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,513 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 63.6% local, 23.3% state, and 13.1% 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 31/100, ranked #96 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 (4 AP courses district-wide), a 389.7:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 13.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 82.2% White, 10.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Madison Elementary - 07, with a diversity index of 34.4/100.

Its largest campus is Madison Elementary - 07, enrolling 515 students (44% of the district's total enrollment).

Madison Elementary - 07 accounts for 44.1% of all Madison Central School District 39-2 student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Madison Central School District 39-2-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

Madison Central School District 39-2 student-counselor ratio is 390:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Madison Central School District 39-2 chronic absenteeism rate is 13.5% — 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?

13.1%
Federal
23.3%
State
63.6%
Local

Funding Equity

31
Equity Score
96 / 121
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Madison Central School District 39-2.

White 82.2%
Hispanic or Latino 10.8%
African American 0.7%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 3.9%
Other 1.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 31.1/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Madison Central School District 39-2's schools, above the South Dakota average of 27.6.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Madison Elementary - 07 34.4
  2. 2 Madison Middle School - 02 30.5
  3. 3 Madison High School - 01 28.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
389.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
13.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Madison Central School District 39-2

School Enrollment
Madison Elementary - 07
515
Madison High School - 01
384
Madison Middle School - 02
270

How Madison Central School District 39-2 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lennox School District 41-4 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Milbank School District 25-4 Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Dell Rapids School District 49-3 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Sisseton School District 54-2 Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Belle Fourche School District 09-1 Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Madison Central School District 39-2'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 Madison Central School District 39-2

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 Madison Central School District 39-2?

Madison Central School District 39-2 has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,147 students.

How much does Madison Central School District 39-2 spend per student?

Madison Central School District 39-2 spends $10,513 per student. The district has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #96 in South Dakota.

What is the demographic composition of Madison Central School District 39-2?

Madison Central School District 39-2 students are 82.2% White, 10.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian, 0.7% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Madison Central School District 39-2?

Madison Central School District 39-2 has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #96 out of 121 districts in South Dakota.