Meade County - Education & Training
There are two public school districts in Meade County. Each district is governed by an elected board of education that makes district policy, but does not engage in day-to-day school operations. School board meetings are open to the public. Under special circumstances having to do with public interest or privacy rights of employees or students, the board may discuss matters in closed, executive sessions. However, any final action must happen at a public session. Both the Meade School District (www.meadek12.sd.us) and Faith School District (www.faithk12.sd.us) have posted guidelines online for citizens wishing to speak at board meetings, or to submit agenda items.
Meade County School District
Meade District 46-1 encompasses about 3,100 of Meade County’s 3,482 square miles. That makes it South Dakota’s largest school district geographically. With an enrollment of 2,462 students in grades K-12, the district ranked 12th in the state during the 2011-12 school year.
More than 1,800 of the district’s students attended school in Sturgis at Brown High School, Williams Middle School, and Sturgis Elementary. The remainder attended Piedmont Valley Elementary, one of six rural schools spread across the county, or Whitewood Elementary. Whitewood Elementary actually sits across the county line in Lawrence County, but is administered by the Meade District and enjoys a close association with schools in Sturgis.
Students in the Meade County School District take the annual Dakota STEP test to ensure that the district is making adequate yearly progress (AYP) in reading and math. According the State of South Dakota's report card, Meade County students achieved AYP in all categories in all grades tested in elementary, middle and high schools in the spring of 2011. Brown High School’s graduation rate was 75.1 percent in 2011, down from the 85.9 percent rate posted in 2010 and lower than the statewide average of 83.3 percent.
During the 2010-2011 academic year, the Meade County School District's fall enrollment was 2443 in grades K-12. With a 2.8 percent dropout rate, the district graduated 146 students. One hundred and two students took the ACT exam. The average composite score was 21.6. To view a statistical profile of funding, student and staff data, see the South Dakota Department of Education's 2010-2011 Profile of Meade School District.
Governance and Budget
The Meade County Board of Education is composed of nine publicly elected members. Board meetings are usually the second Tuesday of each month, 6:30 pm, at Sturgis Williams Middle School. Agendas are available the Friday before meetings and may be picked up at school district administrative offices, or found online at www.meadek12.sd.us. For the 2011-12 school year, the school board estimates total expenditures of about $22.7 million.
Faith School District
In the county’s northeast corner, Faith School District 46-2 served 210 students K-12 in 2011-12. Though many students commute long distances from remote ranches and farms, the district is unable to provide bussing. Instead mileage payments are made to parents. A new building for all grade levels will open in time for the 2012-13 school year. For eight years students attended classes in seven modular buildings after the original Faith School, built in 1910, was condemned in 2004.
Students in the Faith School District take the annual Dakota STEP test to ensure that the district is making adequate yearly progress (AYP) in reading and math. According the State of South Dakota's report card, Faith students achieved AYP in all categories in all grades tested in elementary, middle and high schools in the spring of 2011. Faith's high school graduation rate was 100 percent in 2011, the same as posted in 2010 and higher than the statewide average of 83.3 percent.
During the 2009-2010 academic year, the Faith School District's fall enrollment was 199 in grades K-12. With a 0.0 percent dropout rate, the district graduated 21 students. Nineteen students took the ACT exam. The average composite score was 20.3. To view a statistical profile of funding, student and staff data, see the South Dakota Department of Education's 2009-2010 Profile of Faith School District.
Governance and Budget
Five Faith School District board members are elected for three year terms. Board meetings are scheduled for the second Monday of each month, 7 pm, usually at the Faith Community Hall and occasionally at the rural school in Maurine. Agendas can be picked up at school district administrative offices in Faith, or found online at www.faithk12.sd.us. The budget for 2011-12 school operations is about $2.2 million. (Source: Faith School District business office.)
