Mitchell School District 17-2

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.

Mitchell, South Dakota - 9 schools

An equity score of 42/100 ranks Mitchell School District 17-2 #72 of 121 districts in South Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,109 per pupil, Mitchell School District 17-2 ranks #131 of 149 South Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (South Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,722
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$10,109
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Mitchell School District 17-2 operates 9 public schools serving 2,722 students, placing it among the smaller districts in South Dakota. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 elementary, 2 high, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Davison County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,109 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 46.0% local, 39.1% state, and 14.8% 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 42/100, ranked #72 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.

a 482.9:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 18.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 74.6% White, 7.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Abbott House High School - 07, with a diversity index of 59.8/100.

Its largest campus is Mitchell High School - 01, enrolling 879 students (33% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Rockport Colony Elementary- 10, at 12 students, a 73x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Mitchell High School - 01 accounts for 32.3% of all Mitchell School District 17-2 student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Mitchell School District 17-2-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. 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

Mitchell School District 17-2 school enrollment varies 73× across entities

Mitchell School District 17-2 school enrollment ranges from 12 students (lowest) to 879 students (highest), a spread of 867 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. 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

Mitchell School District 17-2 student-counselor ratio is 483:1 — 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

Mitchell School District 17-2 chronic absenteeism rate is 18.3% — 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 Mitchell School District 17-2 is typically wider than the Mitchell School District 17-2-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

14.8%
Federal
39.1%
State
46.0%
Local

Funding Equity

42
Equity Score
72 / 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 9 schools in Mitchell School District 17-2.

White 74.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
Multiracial 4.2%
Other 12.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 35.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Mitchell School District 17-2's schools, above the South Dakota average of 27.6.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Abbott House High School - 07 59.8
  2. 2 Abbott House Elementary - 06 55.6
  3. 3 Longfellow Elementary - 05 47.4
  4. 4 Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary - 04 44.4
  5. 5 L. B. Williams Elementary - 03 39.5

Programs & Resources

482.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
18.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Mitchell School District 17-2

School Enrollment
Mitchell High School - 01
879
Mitchell Middle School - 02
578
L. B. Williams Elementary - 03
438
Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary - 04
379
Longfellow Elementary - 05
290
Rosedale Colony Elementary - 11
21
Abbott House High School - 07
18
Abbott House Elementary - 06
13
Rockport Colony Elementary- 10
12

How Mitchell School District 17-2 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Douglas School District 51-1 Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Pierre School District 32-2 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Huron School District 02-2 Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Spearfish School District 40-2 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Yankton School District 63-3 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Mitchell School District 17-2'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 Mitchell School District 17-2

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 Mitchell School District 17-2?

Mitchell School District 17-2 has 9 schools, including 2 high, 1 middle, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,722 students.

How much does Mitchell School District 17-2 spend per student?

Mitchell School District 17-2 spends $10,109 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #72 in South Dakota.

What is the demographic composition of Mitchell School District 17-2?

Mitchell School District 17-2 students are 74.6% White, 7.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% African American, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Mitchell School District 17-2?

Mitchell School District 17-2 has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #72 out of 121 districts in South Dakota.