South Dakota School Design Boosts Young Student Achievement

A rural school district in South Dakota proved that the walls around students matter just as much as what happens inside them.

Chamberlain Elementary School opened a new 108,000-square-foot campus in 2024 serving 900 students across 932 square miles. Superintendent Justin Zajic and his team partnered with CMBA Architects to design a building that functions as an instructional tool, not just a structure.

The results speak for themselves. Students from low-income households showed the strongest achievement gains on early literacy benchmarks after moving into the new facility.

The old four-story building forced kindergarteners to climb stairs multiple times daily for recess, lunch, and services. In the new single-level design, teachers reported gaining two full weeks of instructional time because those minutes added up.

Every classroom features mobile furniture and flexible seating that lets students move between direct instruction, small groups, and independent work without disruption. For young learners who struggle with focus or regulation, the ability to stand, sit, or move isn't a luxury but a pathway to learning.

The school serves a significant Native American population, so designers embedded Dakota language phrases, local wildlife, prairie landscapes, and Missouri River imagery into hallway murals. Students see their culture reflected in the building before they enter a single classroom.

These murals do double duty as teaching tools. A child walking past images of bison, crops, and the Black Hills absorbs vocabulary and background knowledge repeatedly throughout the school day.

The design followed the Opportunity-by-Design Framework, which connects physical spaces to student outcomes and equity. Many Chamberlain students face poverty, geographic isolation, and limited preschool access that affects kindergarten readiness.

The Ripple Effect

The strongest literacy improvements appeared among the students who needed support most. When physical barriers disappear, instructional time increases and opportunities multiply without changing a single lesson plan.

Other rural districts facing similar challenges are now studying Chamberlain's approach. The building demonstrates that thoughtful design can reduce inequality by making daily learning conditions more equitable.

The gains remind us that opportunity lives in unexpected places, including recovered minutes, movable chairs, and murals that say "you belong here."