Education

The Ellsworth Air Base and surrounding communities provides public schools, private schools, and home school options.

Public School Districts

Public school districts surrounding the base include the Douglas School District, and the Rapid City Area Schools District.  Public schools outside of the local commuting area include the New Underwood School District (13.5 miles east of the base), and the Meade School District (38 miles west of the base). 

Your home address determines which district your child/ren will attend. To determine your school district, please refer to the state school district maps: https://doe.sd.gov/ofm/districts.aspx.

You may also contact the School Liaison Office for assistance in determining the school zone of your residence. 

School Bus Services: Douglas & Rapid City Area School Districts

Both districts offer school busing, but they operate under different eligibility guidelines, distance thresholds, and age constraints.

Douglas School District

Because Douglas Schools primarily serve families living on-base or in Box Elder, the district operates an active, centralized student transportation department 

• Eligibility Threshold: Students are eligible for bus service to and from school if their physical residential address is at least 2.5 miles away from the Transportation Department building (located at 504 225th St) and they reside within district boundaries 
• Special Education Busing: Douglas provides specialized door-to-door transportation for students with qualifying Special Education plans (IEPs)
• Daycare / Alternate Drop-off: Students can be bused to or from daycares, provided the daycare is within Douglas district boundaries, the student meets general eligibility, and there is open capacity on that specific bus route 
• Tracking Tech: Douglas utilizes the My Ride K-12 app (powered by Tyler Technologies), allowing parents to track their child’s bus route and ridership in real time.
• Contact: Douglas Transportation Department — 605-923-0022

Rapid City Area Schools

RCAS operates a massive transportation network encompassing 416 square miles, safely busing about 2,500 students daily 

• Eligibility Threshold (Grades K-8): General busing is only provided to elementary and middle school students (Grades K–8) who live more than 2.5 miles from their assigned neighborhood school 
• High School Busing (Grades 9-12): General education high school students are not eligible for traditional RCAS yellow school bus services 
• The "Youth Ride Free" Program (High School Alternative): High school students in Rapid City can ride the city's public transit system (RapidRide) for free. This program provides students with year-round access to the city's bus routes to get to school, libraries, and after-school events. High schoolers are encouraged to carry a school ID to verify eligibility
• Parent Reimbursement: If a K-8 student qualifies for busing but the district is unable to establish a route for them, parents can apply for a mileage reimbursement to help cover the costs of driving their children to school.
• Contact: RCAS Student Transportation Center — 605-355-3707

School Busing on Ellsworth Air Force Base

Currently, a base contract provides school bus services from on-base housing to the Douglas School District.  Please contact the School Liaison Program Manager for up-to-date routes and information.

Private Schools

If you are considering a private or faith-based education for your children, the Rapid City area offers several reputable options. Because these are private entities, families are responsible for tuition and fees, though many schools offer financial aid or military discounts. Please contact the School Liaison Program Manager at 605-385-5385 for a complete list of private schools or refer to the Ellsworth FSS School Liaison webpage. https://ellsworthfss.com/school-liaison/

Important Considerations for Private School Registration:

• Transcripts & Records: When transferring to a private school, you will need to request official transcripts from your child's previous school to be sent directly to the admissions office.
• Vaccination Policies: While South Dakota public health and school vaccination laws apply to private institutions, individual schools may have specific immunization exemption policies. It is recommended to contact the school directly for their handbook guidelines.
• Transportation: Private schools do not offer bus services to Ellsworth AFB. Parents are typically responsible for coordinating daily transportation or local carpools.

Homeschool Options:

For families choosing to educate their children at home, South Dakota offers a supportive environment. Homeschool families must file an annual notification with the state. Detailed requirements, forms, and guidance can be found directly on the South Dakota Department of Education website. https://doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx

Homeschool families may enroll in the local school districts for extra-curricular activities. Your School Liaison can also connect you with local Ellsworth AFB homeschooling co-ops and support groups.

School Liaison Program

Transitioning between schools can be challenging, but there is dedicated support available for military families.

Ellsworth AFB School Liaison Program
The School Liaison Program Manager is your primary point of contact for educational questions regarding your move, advocating for military children, and providing information on public, private, and home school options.

• Phone: 605-385-5385 DSN: 312-675-5385
• Cell Phone: 605-593-6563
• Email: 28FSS.SLO.POC@us.af.mil
• Online: Visit the 28th Force Support Squadron website or the Ellsworth School Liaison Services Facebook page for upcoming events. https://ellsworthfss.com/school-liaison/

Other Resources
To further support your child's education, utilize these additional resources:

• Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission: South Dakota is a member of the MIC3, which helps resolve education transition issues for military children, including enrollment, placement, attendance, and graduation requirements. Your School Liaison can help you navigate this compact.
• Tutor.com/military: Provides 24/7, on-demand, one-on-one tutoring for military children in dozens of subjects at no cost.
• Exceptional Family Member Program: If your child requires special education services or an Individualized Education Program, coordinate with the base EFMP-Family Support office to ensure a seamless transfer of services.

Open Enrollment

Under South Dakota Codified Law (SDCL 13-28-40 through 13-28-47), any student in grades KG-12 can apply to transfer to a non-resident school district 

Critical Application Deadlines

Applications are processed on a semester basis and must be submitted to the non-resident (admitting) district before these deadlines 

• First Semester Transfer: Must be submitted prior to the last Friday in September.
• Second Semester Transfer: Must be submitted prior to the last Friday in January
• Emergency placement is authorized in most school districts outside of the deadline windows.     

  Key Program Rules & Restrictions

• Approval is One-Sided: Only the "choice" (receiving) district needs to approve the open enrollment application.  Your resident school district is not required to take any action or approve the transfer
• Capacity-Based Decisions: School boards establish strict capacity standards based on classroom size, program availability, and student-teacher ratios. Non-resident districts can deny applications only if they have reached maximum capacity limits 
• The Family Unity Rule: If multiple children from the same household apply to open enroll into a district, the school board must either approve all of them or deny all of them. They cannot accept one sibling and deny another, provided they can accommodate any special education needs 
• Transportation Responsibility: The parent or guardian is entirely responsible for transporting the student to the non-resident school without financial reimbursement from either district.
• Commitment Term: Once an open enrollment application is approved, the student is obligated to attend the chosen district for the full school year. Returning to the resident district mid-year requires written approval from both school boards 

Athletics & Extracurricular Eligibility under Open Enrollment

If your student is in high school, open enrollment may impact their athletic eligibility under the South Dakota High School Activities Association rules:

• Every high school student is generally granted one open enrollment transfer without penalty.
• Subsequent transfers may result in a period of athletic ineligibility for varsity-level sanctioned events, unless a waiver is granted.

Middle school activities are not sanctioned by the SDHSAA, so these eligibility transfer restrictions do not apply to middle schoolers 

Phone numbers and contacts: 

Registration information may be obtained by calling the Douglas Public School District at 605-923-0000 or the Rapid City School District at 605-394-4037 for elementary education or 605-394-5147 for secondary education. Other school districts nearby the local area include the New Underwood School District, and the Meade School District.

Homeschool families can find more information about South Dakota requirements on the South Dakota Department of Education website.

The School Liaison Program Manager is available to help with educational questions regarding your move. You can reach the School Liaison Office at 605-385-5385 or DSN 312-675-5385 or email 28FSS.SLO.POC@us.af.mil. You may access the 28th Force Support Squadron website to find information on all the local educational opportunities including public, private and home school options.

Incoming families are encouraged to register their children in school as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition. The local school year typically runs from mid-August through the end of May. Families may register their children immediately upon arrival.  Families who are residing in TLF, or other temporary housing on bare may register their children with the Douglas School District.

School Calendar

School Calendars differ depending on which school district you will be attending. The school year typically beings in late August and ends in late May. 

Residency

Depending on your home address, your children will be enrolled in one of the primary local school districts:

Residency Location: 

• On Base or Box Elder: Douglas School District, Contact 605-923-000
• Rapid City & Surrounding Area: Rapid City Area Schools District, Contact 605-394-4037
• Additional School Districts surrounding the local area include the New Underwood School District, and the Meade School District (both Purple Star School Districts).

Douglas School District Overview:
Located adjacent to Ellsworth AFB, the Douglas School District is a Purple Star District which encompasses Pre-K-12^th grade education and serves the base as well as Box Elder and the surrounding 156 square miles. The district features a comprehensive academic and extracurricular program, including all-day kindergarten, a pre-kindergarten program  and South Dakota’s only Air Force Junior ROTC program, which focuses on aerospace education and leadership development.

Rapid City Area School District Overview:

RCAS covers a large geographic footprint in the Black Hills region 

The schools are organized into neighborhood boundary zones, channeling students through a defined feeder system from elementary to high school 

With a total enrollment of 12,000 students, and 22 total schools, the district provides numerous academic and athletic and fine arts pathways. 

K-12 School Registration & Requirements

When registering children for school, parents must provide the following documentation. Please ensure you have these documents hand-carried during your permanent change of station (PCS):

• Certified Birth Certificate
• Updated Immunization/Shot Records
• Non-official records/transcripts, IEP documentation
• Social Security Number
• Proof of Residency
• State Requirement: South Dakota law mandates a tuberculosis test prior to enrollment in any school.

Please contact the School Liaison Program Manager for an up-to-date PCS Checklist to assist in your families transition to Ellsworth Air Force Base. 

South Dakota High School Graduation Requirements

High school students must complete the following core curriculum units:

• Language Arts: 4 Units
• Mathematics: 4 Units
• Science: 3 Units
• Fine Arts: 1 Unit
• Personal Finance or Economics, Physical Education, Health of Health Integration:  ½ Unit of Each 
• Electives:  5 ½ Unites
• Total:  22 Units 

Please contact the Ellsworth Air Force Base School Liaison Program Manager for any transition, or credit transfer issues or concerns. 

South Dakota Report Card

The South Dakota Report Card is intended to share important information about the state's public schools. It encompasses a variety of indicators that contribute to school performance. Browse the links below to learn more. For help interpreting the data, see the Interpreting the Report Card document. 

• https://sdschools.sd.gov/#/home

School Liaison Services

The School Liaison Services Program Manager is available to help with educational questions regarding your move. You can reach the School Liaison Services Office at 605-385-5385 or DSN 312-675-5385 or email 28FSS.SLO.POC@us.af.mil You may access the Ellsworth AFB School Liaison Services webpage to find information on all the local educational opportunities including public, private and home school options or visit the School Liaison Services Facebook page for upcoming school related events or programs.