For the 2025 school year, there is 1 public preschool serving 148 students in Chester Area School District 39-1. This district's average pre testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public pre schools in South Dakota.
Public Preschool in Chester Area School District 39-1 have an average math proficiency score of 57% (versus the South Dakota public pre school average of 45%), and reading proficiency score of 57% (versus the 45% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 3% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the South Dakota public preschool average of 34% (majority American Indian and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
7 Schools
146 Schools
# Students
542 Students
30,673 Students
# Teachers
38 Teachers
2,365 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Chester Area School District 39-1, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 146 school districts in South Dakota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 15% has decreased from 30-34% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#61 out of 148 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(22-23)45%
42%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
51%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
45-49%
42%
Graduation Rate
(22-23)15%
82%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.05
0.54
% American Indian
n/a
13%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
1%
9%
% Black
n/a
5%
% White
97%
66%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
2%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,376 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,121. The school district revenue/student has grown by 7% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,550 is less than the state median of $12,623. The school district spending/student has grown by 7% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$7 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$6 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,376
$13,121
Spending / Student
$10,550
$12,623
Best Chester Area School District 39-1 Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Chester Elementary -02
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
102 2nd Ave
Chester, SD 57016
(605) 489-2411
Chester, SD 57016
(605) 489-2411
Grades: PK-5
| 148 students
Recent Articles

The Link Between Education and Incarceration: The NAACP Report
Education and the rate of incarceration have been linked in a recent NAACP report. Learn about the report and the troubling findings.

The Debate Over Mandatory AP Exams: Balancing Academic Rigor and Student Well-being
Some public schools are forcing students in AP courses to take the AP exam. Here's a look at both sides of the debate and the potential benefits in store for both students and high schools.

The 15 Biggest Failures of the American Public Education System
The world is in a constant state of change and those who fail to adjust fall behind. Unfortunately, the American public education system has not kept up with the times and is currently facing a number of serious problems. Keep reading to learn about the biggest failures affecting the modern U.S. public education system as well as some of the trends that could spark change.