The South Dakota Department of Education reports a decrease of more than 600 students in both public and private K-12 schools for the fall 2023 academic year.
Factors contributing to the decline include post-COVID-19 attendance patterns and an increase in homeschooling.
Sioux Falls, the largest public school district, experienced growth, while some neighboring districts saw fluctuations.
Private school systems also exhibited varied enrollment changes, with the largest, Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools, experiencing a slight decline.
Alternative instruction and homeschool enrollment data will be released in mid-January.