Parker School District 60-4

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.

Parker, South Dakota - 3 schools

An equity score of 36/100 ranks Parker School District 60-4 #83 of 121 districts in South Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,459 per pupil, Parker School District 60-4 ranks #123 of 149 South Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (South Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

491
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$10,459
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Parker School District 60-4 operates 3 public schools serving 491 students, placing it among the smallest districts in South Dakota. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 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 Turner County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,459 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 49.5% local, 39.3% state, and 11.2% 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 36/100, ranked #83 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 151:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 22.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 90.5% White, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Parker Jr. High - 03, with a diversity index of 21.9/100.

Its largest campus is Parker Elementary - 02, enrolling 238 students (53% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Parker Jr. High - 03, at 74 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Parker Elementary - 02 accounts for 48.5% of all Parker School District 60-4 student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Parker School District 60-4 a distant remainder — means Parker School District 60-4-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

Parker School District 60-4 school enrollment varies 3.2× across entities

Parker School District 60-4 school enrollment ranges from 74 students (lowest) to 238 students (highest), a spread of 164 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

Parker School District 60-4 student-counselor ratio is 151:1 — 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

Parker School District 60-4 chronic absenteeism rate is 22.2% — 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 Parker School District 60-4 is typically wider than the Parker School District 60-4-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

11.2%
Federal
39.3%
State
49.5%
Local

Funding Equity

36
Equity Score
83 / 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 Parker School District 60-4.

White 90.5%
Hispanic or Latino 6.3%
Multiracial 2.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 17.4/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Parker School District 60-4's schools, below the South Dakota average of 27.6.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Parker Jr. High - 03 21.9
  2. 2 Parker Elementary - 02 15.7
  3. 3 Parker High School - 01 14.7

Programs & Resources

151:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Parker School District 60-4

School Enrollment
Parker Elementary - 02
238
Parker High School - 01
141
Parker Jr. High - 03
74

How Parker School District 60-4 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Bennett County School District 03-1 Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Hill City School District 51-2 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Clark School District 12-2 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Platte - Geddes School District 11-5 Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Parker School District 60-4'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 Parker School District 60-4

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 Parker School District 60-4?

Parker School District 60-4 has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 491 students.

How much does Parker School District 60-4 spend per student?

Parker School District 60-4 spends $10,459 per student. The district has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #83 in South Dakota.

What is the demographic composition of Parker School District 60-4?

Parker School District 60-4 students are 90.5% White, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Parker School District 60-4?

Parker School District 60-4 has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #83 out of 121 districts in South Dakota.