Lake Area Technical Institute isn’t just the best vo-tech/community college in the country in the eyes of the Aspen Institute. They appear to be the best in South Dakota in the eyes of students… or at least those willing to stick around and finish their programs. According to Joint Appropriations documents, LATI has the best student retention rate among South Dakota’s vo-techs, holding 80% or more of its students every year since 2011:
Mitchell Tech is a close second, tying Lake Area in two of the last five years. The Sioux Falls and Rapid City vo-tech campuses have struggled more, with retention rates mostly in the upper 60’s and low 70s.
Watertown is throwing a parade for Lake Area Wednesday at 4 p.m., starting at the Post Office and rolling down Kemp.