Understanding Your Options
Private Boarding Schools
Flandreau Indian School is a tuition-free Bureau of Indian Education boarding school for Native American students in grades 9-12. The school has offered Army JROTC since 2000, providing military leadership training alongside academic studies.
Admissions & Residency Rules
Geographic Requirements
Flandreau Indian School is open to Native American students nationwide who are enrolled in a federally recognized tribe or have at least 1/4 degree Indian blood. No state residency requirement.
South Dakota's Military Education Option
South Dakota is home to Flandreau Indian School, a tuition-free federal boarding school with an Army JROTC program.
Flandreau Indian School
Flandreau Indian School is a unique military-affiliated option in South Dakota. Established in 1872, it's the oldest continuously operating federal Indian boarding school in the United States.
Key Features:
- Tuition-Free boarding for eligible Native American students
- Army JROTC program since 2000
- Serves Native American students in grades 9-12 nationwide
- 450-acre campus with dormitories, athletic facilities, and a horse corral
Regional Military School Alternatives
South Dakota has no traditional private military boarding school, so families comparing that option look east:
- St. John's Northwestern Academy (Delafield, WI) — coed military boarding and day school for grades 7-12; boarding tuition ~$56,300 (2026-27).
- Saint Thomas Academy (Mendota Heights, MN) — all-boys Catholic military day school for grades 6-12, about 4 hours from Sioux Falls. No boarding.
Families searching for therapeutic boarding schools should know that military schools — including Flandreau — are not therapeutic programs. Our guide to military schools vs. therapeutic programs explains which structure fits which teen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any military schools in South Dakota?
Yes. Flandreau Indian School in Flandreau, SD is a Bureau of Indian Education boarding school with an Army JROTC program. It serves Native American students nationwide who are enrolled in a federally recognized tribe or have at least 1/4 degree Indian blood.
What is Flandreau Indian School?
Flandreau Indian School is the oldest continuously operating federal Indian boarding school in the United States, established in 1872. It offers tuition-free boarding for Native American students in grades 9-12, with Army JROTC available since 2000.
Are there boarding schools in South Dakota?
Yes. Flandreau Indian School in Flandreau is a tuition-free federal boarding school for Native American students in grades 9-12. South Dakota has no traditional private military boarding school — the nearest options are St. John's Northwestern Academy in Wisconsin (coed boarding) and Saint Thomas Academy in Minnesota (all-boys, day only).
Are there therapeutic boarding schools in South Dakota?
Military schools are academic institutions, not therapeutic programs, and this directory does not list therapeutic boarding schools. Flandreau Indian School is a traditional boarding school with JROTC, not a behavioral intervention. A teen who needs clinical or mental health care is better served by a licensed therapeutic program than by a military school.