The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Colome Consolidated 59-3
Colome Consolidated 59-3 is a small, rural South Dakota district serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across three open schools: Colome Elementary, Colome Middle School, and Colome High School. The district sits in Tripp County, with housing data tied to the Winner area. The enrollment is small even for a rural plains district, and the student body is predominantly white, with a meaningful American Indian and Alaska Native presence and a small number of students identifying as two or more races or Asian. Free-or-reduced-price lunch figures, special-education rates, and English-learner counts were not available in the data provided, so those pieces of the picture remain unclear.
The district has been through a consequential reshaping. Voters approved a reorganization plan that splits the Wood and Witten communities away from Colome Consolidated and redirects them to the White River and Winner school districts. The measure passed on a narrow second vote after an earlier attempt failed. The reorganization reduces Colome's geographic area by roughly half and removes a substantial portion of its assessed taxable value. The impetus was the closure of two outlying school buildings: Witten closed in 2021 and Wood closed in late 2022 after the district could not hire a teacher for that site. Remaining students from both communities had been bused a long distance to Colome. These closures eliminated local school access for families in those areas and drove the reorganization vote. A parent considering this district today should know the boundaries and tax base are in transition, and the district that exists now is smaller than the one on older maps.
On state assessments for grades three through eight, Colome's results are mixed. English language arts is the relative bright spot, with a slim majority of tested students scoring proficient or above. That is a solid result for a small rural district. Math proficiency sits below that level, with a smaller share of students meeting the bar. Science results are weaker still, though the number of students tested in science was quite small, which means a few students moving in or out of proficiency can shift the picture considerably from year to year. Full participation was reported across all three subjects. Average scale scores were not available, and no multi-year trend data was provided, so there is no way to tell from this data whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability. A parent may want to ask the district how it is supporting math and science instruction specifically.
Graduation rate data was not included in the available information. Course access, staffing levels, discipline data, attendance figures, and program offerings such as AP, dual-credit, or career pathways were also absent, so the narrative cannot speak to them. This is a district where the publicly available data is thin beyond the core state test results. Families looking for detail on advanced coursework, extracurriculars, or student support services will need to go directly to the district.
The housing market in the area is modestly priced relative to both state and national benchmarks. Typical home values sit well below the South Dakota statewide figure and roughly half the national level. Year-over-year appreciation has been strong, suggesting the local market is climbing from a low base. The price-to-income ratio indicates that buying a home here is more attainable than in most of the country, which may matter to families weighing a move. Rental data was not available, so renters will need to look elsewhere for guidance.
What this district offers is a very small, close-knit school environment in an affordable rural community that is working through a period of structural change. The academic picture is strongest in reading and softer in math and science, with too little surrounding data to say much more. Families who value small classes and local roots may find a fit here, particularly if they are comfortable asking the district directly about the supports and programs the public data does not capture.
See more original research from School Decision →