2024 Best Middle Schools in South Dakota

Middle School Survival Guide for South Dakota

Middle school is a critical step in a child's academic journey, and South Dakota parents have more than enough options to pick from, even though there are only 357 middle schools overall in the state. This is a full 56% less than the national average, but even on a per-resident basis, South Dakota actually has 101% more middle schools per capita than the average state. It's worth mentioning though that a majority of those middle schools (about 80% of them) are public schools, so keep that in mind while making your choice. The middle schools of South Dakota demonstrate a median enrollment of 159 students, with a majority of institutions falling within a range of 150-200 students. These numbers present a significant downside compared to the national average, with a difference of about 61%, which implies that South Dakota fosters a relatively intimate scholastic setting compared to other states. It is also notable that about 50% of all the middle schools in South Dakota outperform the national enrollment average, resulting in an abundance of options for the proactive parent. Additionally, South Dakota boasts a favorable 13 to 1 student-teacher ratio, 7% lower than the typical class size in most states, which may serve to optimize academic outcomes by facilitating individualized instruction.

Key Facts About Public Middle Schools in South Dakota

Let's focus now on public schools, which make up 80% of all schools in the state, 286 school options total. Whereas most middle schools in the nation are around 400 Students, and in the state of South Dakota the typical public school has about 155 students - which is almost two-thirds less than the national average - so public school parents should just be aware that their littles will be attending smaller sized classes. The state’s public schools in aggregate score a B–, which is slightly better than the national average.

Traditional Public Middle Schools

As mentioned before, traditional public schools (not charter or magnet) make up about 100% of all public schools in South Dakota with 285 options available statewide. Parents should know that these same traditional public schools score slightly better than the national average with a B– grade on average; and even better news is that 57% of these 300+ schools are rated above the national average. These 194 different middle school options above the national average means there's still plenty of great options for families looking for an excellent traditional public school education for their children. That being said, traditional public schools still appear to be on the smaller side when compared to other states - those in South Dakota are about 62% smaller for example - so if small class sizes are important to your family's decision then this might be something to consider.

What is the Best Traditional Public Middle School in South Dakota

With many traditional public school options available across South Dakota, it can be difficult to narrow down which one is right for your student(s). A prime example of an excellent institution serving middle school students is Timber Lake Middle School located near Timber Lake (in north central South Dakota). The school has approximately 85 students and we estimate approximately 9 teachers given its stellar 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio – 36% below the national average (–36%). Parents often comment positively on its small class sizes being conducive to higher quality education this way.

Charter Schools

Unlike many other states, South Dakota does not appear to offer any charter schools as far as we can tell from our research. That being said, if you are considering charter school as an option for your child's education it appears you may have to look into neighboring states for those options at this time.

Magnet Schools

Thankfully you do have one magnet option available if you are looking for something different from traditional public schooling or charter school options: one magnet middle school exists in the entire state. The good news here is that it's specifically geared toward underrepresented populations; this magnet school scores an A– and ranks 100% higher than the national average in terms of academic performance. Plus it also appears to be a bit larger than one might expect from most middle schools in South Dakota - it has an average size of 309 students which is 24% above the national average - so if larger classes sizes aren't intimidating then this might just be your best bet.

What is the best magnet middle school in South Dakota?

Unfortunately, there is currently no magnet middle school in South Dakota. The closest alternative to a magnet school in the state is Vermillion Middle School, located about an hour and a half east of Sioux Falls. Despite not being a magnet school, the school does offer an above-average performance, with a B+ grade. The school size is average at 183 students, providing students with a more intimate atmosphere. However, it is worth noting that the student to teacher ratio of 18:1 is 11% greater than the national average since there are fewer teachers available.

Essential facts about private schools in South Dakota

When it comes to private schools in South Dakota, you have 53 different options across the state. It's interesting to note that the number of private schools per capita in the state ranks 18th nationally, a whopping 11% above the national average. This means that parents looking for a private education will have more options than most states in the nation. Furthermore, these schools boast an impressive B+ grade on average, which is certainly encouraging for parents looking for an exceptional education for their child.

All you need to know about religious middle schools in South Dakota

It's also worth noting that religious influences heavily shape the education landscape in the state of South Dakota. In fact, out of those 53 private schools, 45 (or 85%) are religiously influenced and typically centered around Christian theology. The most common type of religious middle school found in South Dakota is Christian and there are 24 of them across the state. On average these schools score a B+, so parents can be confident knowing that their children are receiving an exceptional education while still adhering to their faith-based standards. Furthermore, on a per capita basis these schools rank 12th nationally, surpassing other states by 35%. Intriguingly, despite having an above-average religious presence in terms of quantity, on average these schools still fall 51% below the typical American middle school size with 200 students enrolled per institution.

Top-Ranked Religious Middle School in South Dakota

When it comes to religious middle schools in South Dakota, Freeman Academy stands out as one of the top-rated options in the state. Located in Freeman – just over an hour drive away from Sioux Falls – this small Christian school has earned an impressive A– grade. While its size sits at 75 students and it may not beat some larger institutions on paper, its six student to teacher ratio implies that each student received more attention than what would be expected at most other middle schools. This great ratio also means that students get more direct feedback and instruction from faculty and staff on an individual level – which could be one reason why this small Christian academy has become one of the highest-ranking institutions in the state.

What about private non-religious middle schools in South Dakota?

For parents who prefer opting out from religiously influenced education options and instead want to pursue a non-religious approach there are only 8 nonsectarian private schools across the entire state – making up about 2% of all private schools option in South Dakota – but more importantly perhaps, on a per capita basis these actually schools rank 36th nationally meaning they're actually 25% less than what you'd expect from most states (which could be good or bad depending on your perspective). The good news however is that these small institutions do score an impressive B+ grade on average and about 25% actually score higher than the national average which could mean that there are some truly superior educational options here if you can find them – although good luck digging out those gems among such a small group limiting your options considerably (which might not always be ideal).

Top Private Nonsectarian Middle School in South Dakota

In search of the highest-rated private nonsectarian middle school in the state of South Dakota, Mitchell Christian School takes home first place honors. Located just 10 miles away from Mitchell city center, this relatively small school has 163 enrolled students accompanied by seven teachers and staff members; which puts its student-teacher ratio 50% lower than what would be expected at most American middle schools (7:1 compared to 13:1). Adding to its prestige further still is its solid B+ rating which puts it among some of the best educational institutions available - especially when you consider it's size and limited resources compared to larger institutions found elsewhere in America (and even within South Dakota itself).

Additional middle school options in South Dakota

Top Middle Schools Exclusively for Boys in South Dakota

In comparison to other states, South Dakota currently offers extremely limited opportunities for boys' only middle schools with only one option available across the entire state – Our Home Adolescent Sexual Adjustment Program - which unfortunately does not have any information regarding any performance grades nor any student-faculty ratios available either; making it difficult to make an assessment on how good or bad it might be compared to other institutions across the state or nation-wide even.

What is the best all-girls middle school in South Dakota?

Similar to boys' only middle schools, choices are quite limited when it comes to girls' only middle school options as well; with just two choices - both being located within Mitchell’s city limits - both curiously lacking any performance data or student/faculty information either leaving parents/guardians with no insight as to how these institutions might compare against others on a national scale or even within the same state. Despite this drawback however Abbott House does stand out as one of if not possibly even THE best all girls choice parents/guardians do have; due mainly because it does report certain metrics such as student population of 39 and a solid 13:1 student to instructor ratio.