The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Science. The lowest is 37% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Vermillion Elementary - 05
Vermillion Elementary sits in the city of Vermillion, the home of the University of South Dakota, in Clay County. It is part of Vermillion School District 13-1, a public district serving this small Missouri River community. The school's listed grade band appears as a single marker in the source data rather than a clear span, though its state testing results cover the elementary and middle grades that South Dakota assesses, which gives a practical sense of the age range served. Its operational status is flagged as future, which may reflect a reorganization or reconfiguration within the district, but the data does not explain the reason. A parent would want to confirm current grade coverage and enrollment status directly with the district.
On state assessments, the school posts modest proficiency rates across all tested subjects. In math, roughly a third of tested students reached proficiency. English language arts was similar, with just under two-fifths proficient. Science was the strongest area, with close to half of tested students meeting the proficiency bar. Full participation was reported across all three subjects, which means the results reflect the whole tested population rather than a partial sample. Average scale scores were not available, and no multi-year trend data was provided, so there is no way to characterize whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability. A parent looking at these numbers may want to ask the school how it is approaching math and reading growth and what support structures exist for students who are not yet proficient.
Demographic data was not available in the provided materials. Enrollment counts, racial and ethnic composition, free and reduced-price lunch rates, English learner counts, and special education rates were all missing. Without these, it is hard to characterize the peer environment or the student population the school serves. The same gap applies to staffing figures, discipline data, course access information, and attendance rates. These absences limit the picture considerably, and a parent would benefit from requesting a current school profile directly.
The housing context in Vermillion is relatively affordable compared with both state and national benchmarks. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit below the South Dakota statewide figure and well below the national figure. Recent year-over-year home value growth has been modest but positive. Renting appears notably cheaper than owning at current mortgage rates, with the estimated monthly mortgage exceeding typical rent by a meaningful margin. For families weighing whether to buy or rent in the attendance area, the cost gap is worth noting. The price-to-income ratio sits below the national level, suggesting that purchasing a home here is more attainable than in many parts of the country, though current borrowing costs remain a factor.
At the district level, Vermillion School District 13-1 undertook a major capital construction project in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, according to publicly reported fiscal data. The investment covered construction spending and related capital outlay, pointing to a period of physical facility renewal or expansion. For families, that suggests the district has been putting resources into its buildings, though the specific scope and which schools benefited are not detailed in the available data.
No program offerings, extracurricular lists, or specialized academic pathways were included in the materials. Locale classification, Title I status, magnet designation, and governance details beyond charter status were either missing or not applicable. No neighbor comparison data was available to position this school against others in the county.
What the data supports is a limited but honest read. Vermillion Elementary is a public school in a modest-cost university town, with state test results that show room for academic growth, particularly in math and reading. Science outcomes are comparatively stronger. The housing market is affordable by state and national standards, with renting currently cheaper than buying. The district has recently invested in facilities. Beyond that, much of what a parent would want to know, from demographics to programs to staffing, is not in the available record and would need to come from the school or district directly.
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