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Mellette, South Dakota - 5 schools
An equity score of 23/100 ranks Northwestern Area School District 56-7 #115 of 121 districts in South Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $11,684 per pupil, Northwestern Area School District 56-7 ranks #93 of 149 South Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (South Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
336
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$11,684
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 operates 5 public schools serving 336 students, placing it among the smallest districts in South Dakota. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 1 combined, 1 middle, 1 elementary 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 Spink County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,684 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 70.2% local, 16.5% state, and 13.3% 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 23/100, ranked #115 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 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 286:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 18.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.0% White, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Isucceed - 92, with a diversity index of 34.0/100.
Northwestern Elementary - 04 accounts for 35.5% of all Northwestern Area School District 56-7 student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Northwestern Area School District 56-7-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.
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 school enrollment varies 8.4× across entities
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 school enrollment ranges from 16 students (lowest) to 135 students (highest), a spread of 119 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 student-counselor ratio is 286:1 — 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 Northwestern Area School District 56-7 is typically wider than the Northwestern Area School District 56-7-aggregate figure suggests.
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 chronic absenteeism rate is 18.0% — 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 Northwestern Area School District 56-7 is typically wider than the Northwestern Area School District 56-7-aggregate figure suggests.
Comparisons are relative to Northwestern Area School District 56-7'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.
How many schools are in Northwestern Area School District 56-7?
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 has 5 schools, including 1 combined, 2 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 336 students.
How much does Northwestern Area School District 56-7 spend per student?
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 spends $11,684 per student. The district has an equity score of 23/100, ranking #115 in South Dakota.
What is the demographic composition of Northwestern Area School District 56-7?
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 students are 91.0% White, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Northwestern Area School District 56-7?
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 has an equity score of 23/100, ranking #115 out of 121 districts in South Dakota.