Bennett County School District 03-1

The Bennett County School District 03-1 in South Dakota operates three schools: one elementary, one middle, and one high school. Overall, the academic performance of these schools is quite low, with all three institutions performing significantly below the state averages on standardized tests and other key metrics.

The Bennett County Elementary School - 03 stands out with particularly low test scores, with only 20.83% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 18.75% proficient or better in Mathematics. The Bennett County Middle School - 06 also struggles academically, with only 31.37% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 16.66% proficient or better in Mathematics. While the Bennett County High School - 01 has a four-year graduation rate of only 57.5%, its test scores in English Language Arts (70.58% proficient or better) and Science (35.29% proficient or better) for 11th grade are closer to the state averages.

Factors such as high chronic absenteeism rates, particularly at the middle school level, and the district's high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch suggest that the schools face significant challenges in addressing the needs of their student population. Despite higher-than-average spending per student and relatively low student-teacher ratios, the schools have yet to see meaningful improvements in academic performance, indicating that factors beyond just funding and class size may be at play.