According to data released by the South Dakota Department of Education, neither the state of South Dakota nor its largest school district, Sioux Falls, achieved the target graduation rate set for special education students in the Class of 2022.
The graduation rates actually decreased compared to the previous year. The target graduation rate was nearly 68%, but the state’s overall graduation rate for students with individualized education plans (IEPs) was 61%, and Sioux Falls’ graduation rate was 48%.
The state and district also experienced high dropout rates among special education students, with percentages exceeding the target. The exact reasons behind these declines remain unclear.
The Sioux Falls School District serves 3,500 K-12 students with various medical and developmental conditions qualifying them for special education services. Understanding this diverse range of conditions may help explain the unmet graduation rates and target metrics.
The South Dakota Department of Education has not provided explanations for the graduation rate shortfall or the high dropout rate.