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Rapid City schools report fewer vacancies, modest enrollment decline at start of year
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Thompson reported a 14% decrease in open positions year-over-year, steadying teacher turnover and initial enrollment figures that are slightly below last year's counts, with staffing gaps remaining in special education and classified roles.
Rapid City Area School District leaders told the board that staffing pressures have eased compared with last year but vacancies remain in key areas, Superintendent Dr. Thompson said.
Dr. Thompson reported the district’s open positions have decreased about 14% from the same point last year and that the teacher turnover rate improved from 17.3% in 2022–23 to 14.1% in 2024–25. “Our overall staff retention rate has increased from 81% to 83%,” she said.
To date the district has hired 88 new teachers: 39% were first-year teachers, 28% had one to five years’ experience and 33% had six or more years. Among those hires, 16% hold master’s degrees and 6% hold doctorates; 41% received hiring bonuses, Dr. Thompson said.
The district still has open instructional and classified roles. Dr. Thompson listed unfilled positions including two behavior classrooms at Kibben Custer currently staffed by CEC staff, one Lakota culture teacher, one elementary intervention specialist, one middle school science teacher, one freshman seminar teacher, one high school math teacher and two high school science teachers. Classified vacancies included 51 openings: 13 nutrition, three special-education bus aides, 10 bus drivers, 13 support-services positions and 12 clerical roles.
On enrollment, Dr. Thompson said the district counted 12,091 students as of Aug. 18, 2025. She contrasted that with last year’s day-before-start count of 12,324 and last year’s official September count of 12,194. The district’s internal estimate for the current year is 12,050; movement in and out of the district in coming weeks could change that figure.
Board members asked whether kindergarten entry was smaller than upper grades; staff said kindergarten totals were lower and provided a rough distribution showing smaller incoming kindergarten cohorts compared with larger sophomore and junior cohorts. Dr. Strasser and other staff said more detailed grade-level cohort data could be provided on request.
District officials said open roles are being covered by internal arrangements to avoid disruption to instruction while recruitment continues.
