Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 7 schools in district

Spearfish High School - 01

1725 N Main, Spearfish, SD 57783Spearfish School District 40-2
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0912Non-Charter
796
Students
Total enrolled
98%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
13% vs nat'l
$11,642
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
19% vs nat'l
17.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
16% vs nat'l
Large public school
Serves 796 students in grades 09–12 in Spearfish, South Dakota.
19% below average funding
District spends $11,642 per pupil, 19% less than the national average of $14,347.
17.9 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Spearfish High School - 01 is a large high in Spearfish, South Dakota, serving grades 09–12 with 796 students. The district invests $11,642 per student — 19% below the national average of $14,347, with a 17.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 9% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The school's 98% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Spearfish High School - 01

796
Total Students
17.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
9%
Free Lunch
44
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0912) are served by this school
Gender Distribution417 male · 379 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility9%
National avg 52% · 71 students
Student Composition
89%
Asian1%
White89%
Hispanic / Latino5%
Black1%
Multiracial3%
Native American2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 466693000623

Academic Outcomes at Spearfish High School - 01

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
98%
State avg
78%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,642Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,642
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,122
Student Support$2,212
Administration$1,397
Operations$1,746
Other$1,164
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,642 spent per student, an estimated $5,157 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
32%
56%
State government
31.6%
Local (property tax)
56.5%
Federal programs
11.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 98% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 9% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,642/student, 19% less than the national average
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location
CountyLawrence County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (605)717-1212
NCES ID: 466693000623
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Spearfish seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
1725 N Main, Spearfish, SD 57783
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.