- Enrollment
- 154
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chester, SD
Chester Middle School - 03
Federal NCES profile for Chester Middle School - 03, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 461230000832
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 87
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chester Middle School - 03 earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Chester · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 12.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Chester Middle School - 03 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chester Middle School - 03 ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Chester, SD.
School address
District: Chester Area School District 39-1 · South Dakota
NCES ID 461230000832 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-6 students YoY
Chester Middle School - 03 shrank from 75 students in 2022-23 to 69 in 2023-24 (-8.0%).
Teacher FTE held 5.8 → 5.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-6 students YoY 461230000832 · Chester, SD Middle · SMALL · TRAD
67 enr · 13.4:1 · 12.0% lunch · RII 52
Nearest enrollment peer: Chester Elementary -02 (154 students)
Chester Middle School - 03 shrank from 75 students in 2022-23 to 69 in 2023-24 (-8.0%). Teacher FTE held 5.8 → 5.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Dakota schools → · Find another →
Chester Middle School - 03 in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Chester Elemen
Chester Elementary -02
154 students
- Chester High S
Chester High School - 01
107 students
- Chester Area C
Chester Area Cyber School - 92
106 students
- High Plains -
High Plains - 06
84 students
- This school
Chester Middle School - 03
67 students
- Rustic Acres E 41
Rustic Acres Elementary - 04
41 students
What this shows Chester Middle School - 03 reports 67 students on the CCD universe file.
How Chester Middle School - 03 compares
Chester Middle School - 03 is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs South Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Dakota | South Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.4:1 | ▼ 1% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.0% | ▼ 58% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 67 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
67
Bigger than 7% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
12.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 50% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.4%
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
$10,311
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Dakota avg of $13,985
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 67 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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.
Student demographics
White 92.5%
Two or More 4.5%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%
Largest group: White at 92.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.1, Chester Middle School - 03 is less mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
District finance for Chester Area School District 39-1 reports $10,311 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Chester Middle School - 03 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Elementary -02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chester High School - 01 | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chester Area Cyber School - 92 | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| High Plains - 06 | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Rustic Acres Elementary - 04 | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chester Middle School - 03's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 107
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 106
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 84
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 41
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~67 students)
Frequently asked questions about Chester Middle School - 03
How many students attend Chester Middle School - 03?
Chester Middle School - 03 has 67 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chester, SD. CCD year-over-year: 75 (2022-23) → 69 (2023-24), down 6.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chester Middle School - 03?
The student-teacher ratio at Chester Middle School - 03 is 13.4:1, which is 1% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 15% 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 Chester Middle School - 03?
12.0% of students at Chester 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 Chester Middle School - 03?
The largest demographic group at Chester Middle School - 03 is White at 92.5% of enrollment, in Chester, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chester Middle School - 03?
Chester Middle School - 03 has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Chester Middle School - 03 rank among public schools in Chester?
By Resource Investment Index, Chester Middle School - 03 ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Chester, 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 Chester on the city page.
What other schools are in Chester Area School District 39-1?
Besides Chester Middle School - 03, Chester Area School District 39-1 also operates Chester Elementary -02 (154 students), Chester High School - 01 (107 students), and Chester Area Cyber School - 92 (106 students). See the Chester Area School District 39-1 district page for the complete list.