Middle school (grades 6-8) · Big Stone City, SD

Big Stone City Middle School - 03

Federal NCES profile for Big Stone City Middle School - 03, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 44/100.

2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 460696000352
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0/100100/10044/100
👥 Class size
81
🌟 Gifted program
30
📋 Attendance
21
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →

The verdict

Big Stone City Middle School - 03 earns a D Resource Investment Index (44/100), even as it posts class sizes smaller than 98% of South Dakota schools.

D
Resource Index · 44/100
4.8:1
small classes for South Dakota
21.1%
free-lunch eligible
19
students enrolled

Big Stone City Middle School - 03 has class sizes smaller than 98% of South Dakota schools — smaller than 98% of schools in South Dakota. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.

School address

Big Stone City, SD 57216
District: Big Stone City School District 25-1 · South Dakota

Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.

Enrollment

19

South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data

Teachers (FTE)

4.0

Federal CCD staff survey

Students per teacher

4.8:1

vs 13.5:1 South Dakota avg

-64% vs state

Free-lunch eligible

21.1%

vs 28.8% South Dakota avg

-27% vs state

Student-teacher ratio in context

How Big Stone City Middle School - 03 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians

Smaller classes than state median
0:135:14.8:1

Source: NCES Common Core of Data As of 2024-25 federal staff survey Total enrollment ÷ full-time-equivalent classroom teachers

The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula. PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.

What this school's NCES data tells you

Big Stone City Middle School - 03 reports 19 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 4.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 4.8:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 64% below the South Dakota state mean of 13.5:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.7:1, it is 69% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.

Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 21.1% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 27% below the South Dakota average and 59% below the national baseline. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 31.6% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.

On the finance side, the surrounding Big Stone City School District 25-1 spends $16,688 per pupil district-wide, above the South Dakota average of $13,477 and above the national average of $16,593. Revenue comes 72.9% from local sources (property taxes), 6.5% from the state, and 20.6% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (D), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25

How Big Stone City Middle School - 03 compares

Cross-validating school-level NCES values against South Dakota state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.

Metric This school vs South Dakota South Dakota avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 4.8:1 ▼ 64% 13.5:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 21.1% ▼ 27% 28.8% 51.8%
Enrollment 19 top 12% — —

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

Class size vs. every US school

Students per teacher (lower means more individual attention)

5 Among the smallest classes smaller classes than 99% of 92,598 US schools

0–2: 295 US schools (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 597 US schools (1%). Below this entry. 4–6: 1,033 US schools (1%). This entry sits in this band. 6–8: 1,939 US schools (2%). Above this entry. 8–10: 4,805 US schools (5%). Above this entry. 10–12: 11,082 US schools (12%). Above this entry. 12–14: 16,971 US schools (18%). Above this entry. 14–16: 18,959 US schools (20%). Above this entry. 16–18: 13,660 US schools (15%). Above this entry. 18–20: 8,300 US schools (9%). Above this entry. 20–22: 5,448 US schools (6%). Above this entry. 22–24: 4,007 US schools (4%). Above this entry. 24–26: 2,663 US schools (3%). Above this entry. 26–28: 1,131 US schools (1%). Above this entry. 28–30: 504 US schools (1%). Above this entry. 30–32: 307 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 32–34: 189 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 34–36: 141 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 36–38: 93 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 38–40: 94 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 40–42: 59 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 42–44: 46 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 44–46: 56 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 46–48: 58 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 48–50: 34 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 50–52: 37 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 52–54: 30 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 54–56: 15 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 56–58: 25 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 58–60: 20 US schools (0%). Above this entry. This school 0 60 every US school, by class size, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25

School size vs. every US school

Total enrollment — where this school sits by size (neither large nor small is 'better')

19 larger than 3% of 95,891 US schools

0–150: 14,035 US schools (15%). This entry sits in this band. 150–300: 16,928 US schools (18%). Above this entry. 300–450: 21,633 US schools (23%). Above this entry. 450–600: 17,006 US schools (18%). Above this entry. 600–750: 10,042 US schools (10%). Above this entry. 750–900: 5,568 US schools (6%). Above this entry. 900–1,050: 3,006 US schools (3%). Above this entry. 1,050–1,200: 1,826 US schools (2%). Above this entry. 1,200–1,350: 1,220 US schools (1%). Above this entry. 1,350–1,500: 908 US schools (1%). Above this entry. 1,500–1,650: 692 US schools (1%). Above this entry. 1,650–1,800: 607 US schools (1%). Above this entry. 1,800–1,950: 502 US schools (1%). Above this entry. 1,950–2,100: 432 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 2,100–2,250: 346 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 2,250–2,400: 252 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 2,400–2,550: 203 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 2,550–2,700: 163 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 2,700–2,850: 115 US schools (0%). Above this entry. 2,850–3,000: 85 US schools (0%). Above this entry. This school 0 3,000 every US school, by enrollment, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25

What the federal data reveals about equity at this school

Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.

Economic need
21.1%
free-lunch eligible — 27% 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
4.8:1
students per teacher — 64% below state mean
Top 2% in South Dakota — lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
31.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$16,688
per pupil, district-wide — above South Dakota avg of $13,477
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Overview

Enrollment 19 Top 12% in South Dakota — larger than 88% of 698 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 4.0
Students per teacher 4.8:1 -64% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 21.1% -27% vs state
NCES ID 460696000352

Student demographics

White 94.7%
Two or More 5.3%

Largest group: White at 94.7% of enrollment.

Programs & staff

Counselors (FTE) 0.0

Discipline & special education

Chronically absent 31.6%
In-school suspensions 0
Out-of-school suspensions 0

Funding & spending

District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Big Stone City School District 25-1, which includes Big Stone City Middle School - 03.

$16,688
Per student
+24%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.9%
State 6.5%
Federal 20.6%

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.

Other Schools in This District

Big Stone City School District 25-1 · 1 sibling school

View district profile

Educator & family resources

In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.

Understanding NCES data

How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.

Choose a school district

Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.

How schools are funded

Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.

Chronic absenteeism

Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.

Magnet vs charter vs traditional

Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.

School discipline data

What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.

Before you act on this record

Treat this page as the federal baseline — then verify locally.

  • Compare Big Stone City Middle School - 03 side-by-side with another school you're considering on the same NCES measures. Compare schools
  • Read the district context — spending per pupil, staffing, and equity ranking are district-level decisions that shape this school. District profile
  • Confirm current enrollment windows, programs, and boundaries with the school directly — federal data lags the current school year. Choosing guide

Figures are the school's reported federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) — coverage varies by entity type, and PlainSchools does not rate or rank schools.

Frequently asked questions about Big Stone City Middle School - 03

How many students attend Big Stone City Middle School - 03?

Big Stone City Middle School - 03 has 19 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Big Stone City, SD.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Big Stone City Middle School - 03?

The student-teacher ratio at Big Stone City Middle School - 03 is 4.8:1, which is 64% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.5:1 and 69% 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 Big Stone City Middle School - 03?

21.1% of students at Big Stone City Middle School - 03 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Big Stone City Middle School - 03?

The largest demographic group at Big Stone City Middle School - 03 is White at 94.7%. The school serves a student body in Big Stone City, SD.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Big Stone City Middle School - 03?

Big Stone City Middle School - 03 has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (D) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.

Is Big Stone City Middle School - 03 a good school?

Big Stone City Middle School - 03 earns a D Resource Investment Index (44/100), even as it posts class sizes smaller than 98% of South Dakota schools. The Resource Investment Index reflects staffing, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance reported to NCES, not test scores or academic outcomes, so treat it as a resource snapshot rather than an overall rating.

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Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2021-22) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type — administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) — universe of U.S. public schools and districts. nces.ed.gov/ccd
  • NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) — discipline, absenteeism, and AP-course participation. ocrdata.ed.gov
  • NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey — per-pupil expenditure and revenue sources. nces.ed.gov/ccd/f33agency
  • USDA National School Lunch Program (NSLP) — free and reduced-price lunch eligibility. fns.usda.gov/nslp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic and socioeconomic context for school catchment areas. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • U.S. Department of Education ESSA Title I — federal Title I program participation. ed.gov
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