Wessington Springs School District 36-2

Wessington Springs, South Dakota — 7 schools

422
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$14,251
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Wessington Springs School District 36-2 operates 7 public schools serving 422 students, placing it among the smaller districts in South Dakota. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 2 middle, 2 elementary, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 461 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Jerauld County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,251 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 62.1% local, 27.4% state, and 10.5% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $58,375 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 31/100, ranked #98 of 121 in South Dakota against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 65.9:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 10.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.5% White, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American across the district's schools.

Wessington Springs Elementary - 02 accounts for 31.5% of all Wessington Springs School District 36-2 student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Wessington Springs School District 36-2-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. 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

Wessington Springs School District 36-2 school enrollment varies 29× across entities

Wessington Springs School District 36-2 school enrollment ranges from 5 students (lowest) to 145 students (highest), a spread of 140 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Wessington Springs School District 36-2 student-counselor ratio is 66:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Wessington Springs School District 36-2 chronic absenteeism rate is 10.1% — 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?

10.5%
Federal
27.4%
State
62.1%
Local

Funding Equity

31
Equity Score
98 / 121
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Jerauld County county, where this district is located.

$654
Studio/mo
$722
1 BR/mo
$948
2 BR/mo
$1,206
3 BR/mo
$1,468
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$58,375
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in Wessington Springs School District 36-2.

White 91.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
Other 3.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

65.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
10.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Wessington Springs School District 36-2

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Wessington Springs School District 36-2?

Wessington Springs School District 36-2 has 7 schools, including 1 other, 2 high, 2 middle, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 422 students.

How much does Wessington Springs School District 36-2 spend per student?

Wessington Springs School District 36-2 spends $14,251 per student. The district has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #98 in South Dakota.

What is the average teacher salary in Wessington Springs School District 36-2?

The average teacher salary in Wessington Springs School District 36-2 is $58,375 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Wessington Springs School District 36-2?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Jerauld County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Wessington Springs School District 36-2?

Wessington Springs School District 36-2 students are 91.5% White, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Wessington Springs School District 36-2?

Wessington Springs School District 36-2 has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #98 out of 121 districts in South Dakota. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

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