SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Only 56% of students who graduated from a Sioux Falls high school in 2024 attended a postsecondary institution to continue their education.
The postsecondary report for the Sioux Falls School District was announced and enrollment to a college and technical school in the first year after graduation is at an eight-year low. However, the report says enrollment for 4-year and 2-year institutions “remained steady this past year.”
The percentage of students went from 61% in 2017, increased to 62% in 2019 and dipped to 58% in 2020. It’s stayed below 60% since 2020, with a slight increase back to 58% in 2022 and has declined to 56% as of 2024.
From 2017 to 2024, college enrollment two years after high school graduation is at a 64% average.
The top schools for SFSD graduates are the University of South Dakota with 1,321 students, South Dakota State University with 1,177 students and Southeast Technical College with 659 students.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which the SFSD report cited, 72% of jobs will require post-secondary education after high school by 2031, 42% of jobs will require a bachelor’s degree or higher. In 1983, only 32% of workers had a higher education.
For the class of 2017 graduates, 43% of them graduated from college by 2024 and 22% were no longer enrolled.
Students in SFSD also take a national career readiness exam. In 2024, 89% of juniors who took the exam earned a bronze certificate or higher, which shows a “strong preparation for the workforce.”
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and College Board partnered on a study of 500 hiring managers across different industries. According to the survey, 84% of hiring managers said most high school students are not prepared to enter the workforce.
The school board will discuss the postsecondary report at the Monday, September 22, school board informational meeting at 5:30 p.m.
