South Dakota, School Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of school records located at the South Dakota State Historical Society in Pierre, for the years 1879 to 1970. The records include: The records are generally arranged by county, year, and school district number. This collection is being published as images become available. The listing of school-aged children is a common practice throughout the United States. The records are usually compiled on a yearly basis. School records helped local governments determine funding needs for individual schools. The information is usually reliable although the ages are sometimes off by a year and legal guardians may be confused with parents.
 * Teacher's term reports
 * School census
 * Attendance

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the child
 * The approximate age or birth date of the child
 * The years the child attended school
 * The place where the child attended school
 * The names of the child's parents

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Try searching by surname only
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of South Dakota.
 * South Dakota Guided Research
 * South Dakota Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905 | 1905-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog
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Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.