Yes.
South Dakota spends the seventh-lowest amount per student nationally in the public school system as of 2023.
The state spends $12,005 per student, about $2,000 more than the lowest state on the list: Idaho ($10,247), which is followed by Utah ($10,333) and Oklahoma ($11,155).
The data is collected by the U.S. Census Bureau and includes a per-student breakdown of salaries and wages, employee benefits, student support, instructional staff support, general administration and school administration.
The top states for per-student funding are New York ($30,012) and Vermont ($26,345).
Regionally, Minnesota spends $16,117 per student, Iowa, $13,792 and Nebraska, $15,200.
In early 2025, the South Dakota Legislature approved an increase of education funding of 1.25%, much lower than average.
Budgets were strained even further when the federal government cut $25.8 million from the state’s education funding this summer.
This fact brief responds to conversations such as this one.
Sources
U.S. Census Data Bureau, 2023 per-student funding (Tab 8)
KELO-TV, S.D. educators react to 1.25% education funding increase
South Dakota Searchlight, Schools left ‘scrambling’ after feds withhold $25.8 million in funding
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This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email to get stories when they're published. Contact Michael Klinski at michael.klinski@sdnewswatch.org.
