Enrollment
414
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Belle Fourche, SD
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07
Federal NCES profile for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 460561001117
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Belle Fourche · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.2:1
- students per teacher
- 22.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Belle Fourche, SD.
School address
District: Belle Fourche School District 09-1 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460561001117 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.2%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 is a large elementary school in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, enrolling 414 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 22.2% lands close to the South Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 414 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Among 88 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #71, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 29/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 414 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Belle Fourche School District 09-1 spends $10,486 per pupil, 22% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 20.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Belle Fourche's elementary schools, it stands alongside South Park Elementary - 03 (347 students): Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.2:1 vs 10.8:1).
Belle Fourche School District 09-1 also operates Belle Fourche High School - 01 (389 students) and South Park Elementary - 03 (347 students) alongside Belle Fourche Middle School - 07.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 compares
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 on the metrics families compare, against South Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Dakota | South Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.2:1 | ▼ 10% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.2% | ▼ 23% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 414 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
414
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the South Dakota average of 28.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 39% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
23.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,486
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Dakota avg of $13,477
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 414 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
43
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 83.8%
Hispanic or Latino 7.0%
Two or More 5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.1%
Largest group: White at 83.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.9, Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 is about as mixed as the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Belle Fourche School District 09-1, which includes Belle Fourche Middle School - 07.
$10,486
Per student
-22%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.6%
State 41.5%
Federal 20.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Fourche High School - 01 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Park Elementary - 03 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Park Elementary - 08 | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Belle Fourche Middle School - 07's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 389
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 89
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 57
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Belle Fourche
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of South Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~414 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Belle Fourche Middle School - 07's federal record.
- Compare Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 against another school. Compare schools
- Belle Fourche School District 09-1's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Belle Fourche Middle School - 07
How many students attend Belle Fourche Middle School - 07?
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 has 414 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Belle Fourche, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07?
The student-teacher ratio at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 is 12.2:1, which is 10% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07?
22.2% of students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Belle Fourche Middle School - 07?
The largest demographic group at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 is White at 83.8% of enrollment, in Belle Fourche, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07?
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 rank among elementary schools in Belle Fourche?
By Resource Investment Index, Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Belle Fourche, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Belle Fourche on the city page.
Is Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 a good school?
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Belle Fourche School District 09-1?
Besides Belle Fourche Middle School - 07, Belle Fourche School District 09-1 also operates Belle Fourche High School - 01 (389 students), South Park Elementary - 03 (347 students), and North Park Elementary - 08 (89 students). See the Belle Fourche School District 09-1 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Compare schools
Side-by-side comparison tool
Schools in South Dakota
All public schools in South Dakota
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
All schools in this district
Schools in Belle Fourche
All schools in this city
School districts
Ranked by enrollment & spending
Rankings
Best schools by state & type
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.