Students work on math at at St. Joseph Academy in central Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on May 13, 2024. The school was taught by parents during the 2023-2024 school year, but switched to a hybrid classical school for the 2024-2025 school year. (Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)
Alternative instruction enrollment continues to rise in South Dakota, breaking 12,000 students enrolled in 2025, according to data released recently by the state Education Department. The growth comes as private and public school enrollment is declining in the state.
Across the state, 12,433 school-aged children are enrolled in alternative instruction, which includes homeschooling and some private schools — such as online, hybrid and microschools — that are unaccredited, or accredited by an entity other than the state. Students notify the state when they enroll in alternative instruction.
Rising Alternatives
Examining the impact, causes and concerns surrounding the rapid growth of alternative instruction options in the state…