Enrollment
759
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Brandon, SD
Brandon Valley Middle School - 02
Federal NCES profile for Brandon Valley Middle School - 02, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 460795000072
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota.
- #1 of 9
- public schools in Brandon · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.1:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 7.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 has class sizes larger than 90% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 ranks #1 of 9 public schools in Brandon, SD.
School address
District: Brandon Valley School District 49-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460795000072 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
7.8%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Brandon Valley Middle School - 02
Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Brandon, South Dakota, enrolling 759 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.1:1 is larger than about 90% of South Dakota schools and 33% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 7.8% free-meal eligibility runs 73% below the South Dakota average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 96% of state schools at 759 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Among 43 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
10.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Brandon Valley School District 49-2 spends $9,822 per pupil, 27% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Brandon's middle schools, it stands alongside Brandon Valley Distance Learning Academy Middle School - 93 (4 students): Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 is larger than that campus by headcount.
Brandon Valley School District 49-2 also operates Brandon Valley High School - 01 (1,381 students) and Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 (829 students) alongside Brandon Valley Middle School - 02.
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 Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 compares
Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 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 | 18.1:1 | ▲ 33% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.8% | ▼ 73% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 759 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
759
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
7.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% below the South Dakota average of 28.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 90% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
10.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$9,822
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 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 83.1%
African American 4.9%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%
Two or More 4.2%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: White at 83.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.3, Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Brandon Valley School District 49-2, which includes Brandon Valley Middle School - 02.
$9,822
Per student
-27%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.9%
State 41.0%
Federal 13.1%
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 Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Valley High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brandon Elementary - 03 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Robert Bennis Elementary - 05 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fred Assam Elementary - 06 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Brandon Valley Middle School - 02's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,381
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 829
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 728
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 542
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 531
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar middle schools in Brandon
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~759 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Brandon Valley Middle School - 02's federal record.
- Compare Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 against another school. Compare schools
- Brandon Valley School District 49-2'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 Brandon Valley Middle School - 02
How many students attend Brandon Valley Middle School - 02?
Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 has 759 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Brandon, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Brandon Valley Middle School - 02?
The student-teacher ratio at Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 is 18.1:1, which is 33% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Brandon Valley Middle School - 02?
7.8% of students at Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Brandon Valley Middle School - 02?
The largest demographic group at Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 is White at 83.1% of enrollment, in Brandon, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Brandon Valley Middle School - 02?
Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 rank among public schools in Brandon?
By Resource Investment Index, Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 ranks #1 of 9 public schools in Brandon, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Brandon on the city page.
Is Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 a good school?
Brandon Valley Middle School - 02 earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota. 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 Brandon Valley School District 49-2?
Besides Brandon Valley Middle School - 02, Brandon Valley School District 49-2 also operates Brandon Valley High School - 01 (1,381 students), Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07 (829 students), and Brandon Elementary - 03 (728 students). See the Brandon Valley School District 49-2 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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.