Northwestern High School - 01

Q: Is Northwestern High School - 01 a good school?

Northwestern High School - 01 ranks 16 th of 141 South Dakota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Northwestern High School - 01 is a public high school located in Mellette, South Dakota, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 88 students. The school is part of the Northwestern Area School District 56-7, which is ranked 40 out of 126 school districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Northwestern High School - 01 has consistently performed exceptionally well on state assessments, with significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to the district and state averages. The school has also maintained high graduation rates, ranging from 88.8% to 96.4% over the past few years, which are well above the state average. Additionally, the school has very low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 1.0% during the same period. The school has performed particularly well for male and white student subgroups, ranking among the top 12-22 high schools in the state for these groups in recent years.

When compared to other nearby high schools, such as Central High School in Aberdeen and the schools in the Redfield School District, Northwestern High School - 01 significantly outperforms them in academic measures, graduation rates, and overall school rankings. This highlights the importance of in-person instruction, as the school district's virtual high school, iSucceed - 92, has significantly lower academic performance, graduation rates, and overall rankings compared to Northwestern High School - 01.

Detail:

Public 9-12

221 3rd St
Mellette, SD 57461

(605) 887-3467

District: Northwestern Area School District 56-7

SchoolDigger Rank:
16^th of 141 South Dakota High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,236

Feeder schools for Northwestern High School - 01:

Elementary:	Northwestern Elementary - 04
Middle:	Northwestern Middle School - 02

Student/teacher ratio: 12.2

Number of students: 88

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.6%

Hispanic:

1.1%

American Indian:

1.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 13.6%

See top rated South Dakota high schools

Compare Northwestern High School - 01 to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Northwestern High School - 01 ranks better than 88.7% of high schools in South Dakota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.3. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Northwestern High School - 01 who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (96.6%), American Indian (1.1%), Hispanic (1.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 13.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northwestern High School - 01 is 12.2. (See more...)

Compare Northwestern High School - 01 employs 7.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northwestern High School - 01 is $13,236.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northwestern High School - 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwestern High School - 01 16^th of 141 South Dakota public high schools. (See Northwestern High School - 01 in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Male students:

White students:

Northwestern Area School District 56-7:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwestern Area School District 56-7 40^th of 126 South Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Northwestern High School - 01

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Rank History for all students at Northwestern High School - 01

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SD State Percentile
2005	79.35	14^th	137	89.8%
2006	23.65	114^th	136	16.2%
2007	55.03	74^th	141	47.5%
2008	43.54	85^th	135	37.0%
2009	58.34	68^th	144	52.8%
2010	81.47	12^th	150	92.0%
2011	51.46	77^th	141	45.4%
2012	47.60	90^th	143	37.1%
2013	84.04	9^th	144	93.8%
2015	57.44	58^th	133	56.4%
2016	47.29	86^th	141	39.0%
2017	45.84	86^th	137	37.2%
2018	77.61	18^th	138	87.0%
2019	30.13	102^nd	135	24.4%
2021	81.70	14^th	140	90.0%
2022	86.70	13^th	134	90.3%
2023	84.47	13^th	138	90.6%
2024	85.30	16^th	141	88.7%

See the entire list of South Dakota High School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Northwestern High School - 01

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	36.07	59^th	83	28.9%
2021	72.46	20^th	89	77.5%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northwestern High School - 01

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SD State Percentile
2021	84.90	8^th	89	91.0%
2022	87.67	10^th	87	88.5%
2023	91.32	6^th	96	93.8%
2024	87.13	12^th	107	88.8%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Northwestern High School - 01

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	71.82	23^rd	123	81.3%
2019	25.40	100^th	123	18.7%
2021	78.44	17^th	129	86.8%
2022	78.31	21^st	123	82.9%
2023	78.50	15^th	121	87.6%
2024	76.78	22^nd	125	82.4%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Dakota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Northwestern High School - 01

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	93	93
1990	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	92	92
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	98	98
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	98	98
1993	97	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	97
1994	88	0	0	0	4	n/a	n/a	0	92
1995	92	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	94
1996	92	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	94
1997	99	0	0	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	102
1998	106	1	0	0	4	n/a	n/a	0	111
1999	106	1	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	109
2000	97	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	99
2001	88	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	88
2002	95	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	95
2003	95	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	95
2004	94	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	95
2005	109	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	109
2006	96	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	97
2007	104	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	105
2008	97	n/a	n/a	n/a	1	n/a	n/a	0	98
2009	93	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	95
2010	89	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	91
2011	80	0	1	2	2	0	1	0	86
2012	80	1	0	2	1	0	1	0	85
2013	90	1	0	2	1	0	0	0	94
2014	93	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	96
2015	69	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	72
2016	65	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	68
2017	63	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	66
2018	75	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	79
2019	91	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	94
2020	96	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	100
2021	97	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	100
2022	93	0	0	0	1	0	4	0	98
2023	85	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	88
2024	85	0	0	1	1	0	1	0	88

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Northwestern High School - 01

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	93	7.7	12.0	n/a
1990	92	9.8	9.3	n/a
1991	98	9.8	10.0	n/a
1992	98	9.8	10.0	n/a
1993	97	7.9	12.3	n/a
1994	92	8.1	11.4	n/a
1995	94	7.1	13.2	n/a
1996	94	7.1	13.2	n/a
1997	102	7.9	12.9	19.6
1998	111	7.0	15.9	30.6
1999	109	6.9	15.8	22.9
2000	99	7.6	13.0	21.2
2001	88	7.9	11.1	29.5
2002	95	7.4	12.8	25.3
2003	95	7.4	12.8	25.3
2004	95	7.9	12.0	31.6
2005	109	8.8	12.4	21.1
2006	97	7.0	13.9	26.8
2007	105	7.0	15.0	34.3
2008	98	6.6	14.8	28.6
2009	95	7.1	13.4	29.5
2010	91	6.6	13.7	20.9
2011	86	6.5	13.1	19.8
2012	85	6.4	13.1	27.1
2013	94	6.7	14.0	22.3
2014	96	6.2	15.2	26
2015	72	6.0	12.0	13.9
2016	68	7.0	9.7	29.4
2017	66	7.4	8.8	33.3
2018	79	7.0	11.2	21.5
2019	94	7.7	12.1	20.2
2020	100	7.2	13.8	16
2021	100	7.3	13.6	24
2022	98	7.1	13.7	11.2
2023	88	7.2	12.1	14.8
2024	88	7.1	12.2	13.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Northwestern High School - 01

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	93	7.7	12.0	n/a
1990	92	9.8	9.3	n/a
1991	98	9.8	10.0	n/a
1992	98	9.8	10.0	n/a
1993	97	7.9	12.3	n/a
1994	92	8.1	11.4	n/a
1995	94	7.1	13.2	n/a
1996	94	7.1	13.2	n/a
1997	102	7.9	12.9	19.6
1998	111	7.0	15.9	30.6
1999	109	6.9	15.8	22.9
2000	99	7.6	13.0	21.2
2001	88	7.9	11.1	29.5
2002	95	7.4	12.8	25.3
2003	95	7.4	12.8	25.3
2004	95	7.9	12.0	31.6
2005	109	8.8	12.4	21.1
2006	97	7.0	13.9	26.8
2007	105	7.0	15.0	34.3
2008	98	6.6	14.8	28.6
2009	95	7.1	13.4	29.5
2010	91	6.6	13.7	20.9
2011	86	6.5	13.1	19.8
2012	85	6.4	13.1	27.1
2013	94	6.7	14.0	22.3
2014	96	6.2	15.2	26
2015	72	6.0	12.0	13.9
2016	68	7.0	9.7	29.4
2017	66	7.4	8.8	33.3
2018	79	7.0	11.2	21.5
2019	94	7.7	12.1	20.2
2020	100	7.2	13.8	16
2021	100	7.3	13.6	24
2022	98	7.1	13.7	11.2
2023	88	7.2	12.1	14.8
2024	88	7.1	12.2	13.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Northwestern High School - 01

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$80 (0.7%)	$11,249 (99.3%)	$11,329
2021	$840 (7.6%)	$10,221 (92.4%)	$11,061
2022	$1,107 (9.3%)	$10,843 (90.7%)	$11,951
2023	$456 (3.4%)	$12,781 (96.6%)	$13,236

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwestern High School - 01

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 102^nd of 135 High schools	Ranks 13^th of 138 High schools	66.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Northwestern High School - 01)	57.1	81.3	24.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Northwestern Area School District 56-7)	60.9	53.1	7.7%
11th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	64.4	65.2	0.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Northwestern High School - 01)	33.3	56.3	22.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Northwestern Area School District 56-7)	34.8	28.1	6.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	41.2	37.8	3.4%
11th Grade Science (Northwestern High School - 01)	23.8	62.5	38.7%
11th Grade Science (Northwestern Area School District 56-7)	26.1	37.5	11.4%
11th Grade Science (South Dakota)	36.4	51.8	15.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	94	88	6.4%
African American	0	0
American Indian	1	1
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	0	0
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	91	85	6.6%
Two or More Races	1	2	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	20.2%	14.8%	5.4%

Schools Near Northwestern High School - 01

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Science 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Northwestern High School - 01	Public	9-12	221 3rd St	Mellette	57461	Spink County	Northwestern Area School District 56-7	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 887-3467	88	7	12.2	13.6%	85 (96.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	85.3	16^th of 141 public high schools	88.7%		84.5	13^th of 138 public high schools	90.6%	3	73.7		52.6		73.7		$13,236	$456	$12,781
iSucceed - 92	Public, Virtual	9-12	221 3rd St	Mellette	57461	Spink County	Northwestern Area School District 56-7	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	No	(605) 887-3467	64	1	45.7	4.7%	58 (90.6%)	2 (3.1%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)	2.3	137^th of 141 public high schools	2.8%		1.4	137^th of 138 public high schools	0.7%		20.0	19.2			16.0	15.4	$7,567	$334	$7,232
Warner High School - 01	Public	9-12	110 1st Ave SW	Warner	57479	Brown County	Warner School District 06-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 225-6194	90	8	11.6	7.8%	87 (96.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	95.1	2^nd of 141 public high schools	98.6%		92.2	8^th of 138 public high schools	94.2%	6	84.0		72.0		76.0		$10,087	$00	$10,087
Turtle Creek High School - 04	Public	9-12	17267 3rd St	Redfield	57469	Spink County	Redfield School District 56-4	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 472-4520	8	1	8.8		6 (75.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							$28,175	$72	$28,102
Redfield Virtual School - 92	Public, Virtual	9-12	111 E 6th Ave	Redfield	57469	Spink County	Redfield School District 56-4	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	No	(605) 472-4520	2	0	40.0		2 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							$7,585	$72	$7,512
Redfield High School - 01	Public	9-12	111 6th Ave E	Redfield	57469	Spink County	Redfield School District 56-4	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 472-4520	152	14	10.8	24.3%	136 (89.5%)	4 (2.6%)	9 (5.9%)	1 (0.7%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62.9	46^th of 141 public high schools	67.4%		10.6	127^th of 138 public high schools	8.0%	81	78.6		32.1		53.6		$13,307	$636	$12,671
Central High School - 01	Public	9-12	2200 S Roosevelt St	Aberdeen	57401	Brown County	Aberdeen School District 06-1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 725-8100	1,374	80	17.1	25.8%	1,039 (75.6%)	25 (1.8%)	110 (8.0%)	41 (3.0%)	91 (6.6%)	5 (0.4%)	63 (4.6%)	30.6	108^th of 141 public high schools	23.4%		62.1	52^nd of 138 public high schools	62.3%	56	51.3	51.0	26.2	25.9	41.5	41.0	$9,561	$622	$8,939

Frequently Asked Questions about Northwestern High School - 01

What district is Northwestern High School - 01 in?

Northwestern Area School District 56-7

What is the racial makeup of Northwestern High School - 01?

Students at Northwestern High School - 01 are 97% White, 1% Hispanic, 1% American Indian, 1% Two or more races.

Is Northwestern High School - 01 a good school?

Northwestern High School - 01 ranks 16^th of 141 South Dakota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Northwestern High School - 01?

Northwestern High School - 01 is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Northwestern Elementary - 04
Middle : Northwestern Middle School - 02

How many students attend Northwestern High School - 01?

In the 2023-24 school year, 88 students attended Northwestern High School - 01.

Rate Northwestern High School - 01!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Dakota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.