Private schools in South Dakota
Partners in Education scholarships average about $2,457 (2025-26). South Dakota K-12 students in households at or below 200% of the income standard for free or reduced-price lunch, or in foster care, attending an accredited nonpublic school. SB 84 (2026) raised the limit from 150%. Once a student qualifies, eligibility lasts three years (or through high school for a student who qualifies entering high school); after that the student stays eligible up to 250% of the standard.
Figures read from each program’s official pages, October 2, 2026. Sources and how to apply
1,783 students at 48 schools in 2025-26. Insurance company donations earn credits capped at $5 million a year.
Worth knowing: The $5 million yearly credit cap limits how many students can be funded.
By city
The number is how many private schools are in each town or within 6 miles of it (12 miles for smaller towns). A school counts for its own town at any distance from downtown, and nearby towns can overlap.
- Sioux Falls (18)
- Rapid City (10)
- Aberdeen (7)
- Watertown (3)
By kind of school
By county
- Beadle County (2): James Valley Christian School, Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary School
- Brookings County (3)
- Brown County (8)
- Brule County (1): St. Joseph Indian School
- Clay County (1): St. Agnes Elementary School
- Codington County (3)
- Davison County (2): Mitchell Christian School, St. John Paul II Elementary School
- Dewey County (1): Windswept Academy
- Douglas County (1): Dakota Christian School
- Fall River County (1): Bethesda Lutheran School
- Grant County (1): St. Lawrence School
- Hamlin County (1): Poinsett Colony Elementary School
- Hand County (1): Sunshine Bible Academy
- Hughes County (1): Pierre Indian Learning Center
- Hutchinson County (1): Freeman Academy
- Kingsbury County (1): Sunny Plains Christian School
- Lake County (2): Madison Christian School, St. Thomas School
- Lawrence County (1): Black Hills Christian Academy
- Lincoln County (4)
- Minnehaha County (15)
- Oglala Lakota County (2): Red Cloud Indian School, Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary
- Pennington County (10)
- Todd County (1): Sapa Un Catholic Academy Elementary
- Yankton County (2): Sacred Heart Middle School -, Sacred Heart School
The largest private schools in South Dakota
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls Catholic School | PreK-12 | 2,231 |
| Sioux Falls Christian Schools | PreK-12 | 1,382 |
| Rapid City Catholic School System | PreK-12 | 650 |
| Aberdeen Catholic Schools | PreK-12 | 482 |
| Roncalli Primary School | PreK-12 | 482 |
| Red Cloud Indian School | K-12 | 435 |
| O'Gorman Junior High School | 7-8 | 329 |
| Sioux Falls Lutheran School | PreK-12 | 301 |
| St. Elizabeth Seton School | K-5 | 285 |
| Sacred Heart School | PreK-8 | 263 |
| Roncalli Jr & Sr High School | 6-12 | 232 |
| Sacred Heart Middle School - | PreK-8 | 230 |
| St. Mary Catholic School | PreK-12 | 222 |
| James Valley Christian School | PreK-12 | 208 |
| Aberdeen Christian School | PreK-12 | 206 |
Run your own numbers
What would you pay?
Enter amounts of $0 or more.
We could not confirm this year’s Partners in Education amount, so type in the figure from your award letter. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.
Get one email when applications open
Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state and we will email you the day the next window opens, with the official link. That is the only email you get.
One email per application window. No calls, no sharing your details.
Questions parents ask
How much does South Dakota pay toward private school?
About $2,457 on average (2025-26). The scholarship organization sets amounts. By law the average award may not exceed the state per-student equivalent; we did not verify that dollar figure.
Who can get it?
South Dakota K-12 students in households at or below 200% of the income standard for free or reduced-price lunch, or in foster care, attending an accredited nonpublic school. SB 84 (2026) raised the limit from 150%. Once a student qualifies, eligibility lasts three years (or through high school for a student who qualifies entering high school); after that the student stays eligible up to 250% of the standard.
Is there still room?
1,783 students at 48 schools in 2025-26. Insurance company donations earn credits capped at $5 million a year.
How do I know a school takes Partners in Education?
The state does not publish a school list. South Dakota Partners in Education, a scholarship organization, lists its 49 partner schools on its website.