Enrollment
295
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Dell Rapids, SD
Dell Rapids Middle School - 03
Federal NCES profile for Dell Rapids Middle School - 03, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 461812000837
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 80
📋 Attendance 69
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Dell Rapids · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 9.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Dell Rapids 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, Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Dell Rapids, SD.
School address
District: Dell Rapids School District 49-3 · South Dakota
NCES ID 461812000837 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
9.7%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dell Rapids Middle School - 03
Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Dell Rapids, South Dakota, enrolling 295 students.
At 14:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Dakota median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 9.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 295 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Among 78 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (93% of enrollment) (diversity index 14/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 98 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
12.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Dell Rapids School District 49-3 spends $10,597 per pupil, 21% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Dell Rapids's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dell Rapids Elementary - 02 (355 students): Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14:1 vs 12.7:1).
Dell Rapids School District 49-3 also operates Dell Rapids Elementary - 02 (355 students) and Dell Rapids High School - 01 (315 students) alongside Dell Rapids Middle School - 03.
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 Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 compares
Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 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 | 14:1 | ▲ 3% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.7% | ▼ 66% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 295 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
295
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
9.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% 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
14:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 58% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
12.5%
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
$10,597
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 98 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 92.5%
Two or More 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
African American 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 92.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.3, Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 is less mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dell Rapids School District 49-3, which includes Dell Rapids Middle School - 03.
$10,597
Per student
-21%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.3%
State 29.7%
Federal 14.0%
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 Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell Rapids Elementary - 02 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dell Rapids High School - 01 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dell Rapids Middle School - 03's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 355
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 315
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar elementary schools in Dell Rapids
1 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 (~295 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dell Rapids Middle School - 03's federal record.
- Compare Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 against another school. Compare schools
- Dell Rapids School District 49-3'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 Dell Rapids Middle School - 03
How many students attend Dell Rapids Middle School - 03?
Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 has 295 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Dell Rapids, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dell Rapids Middle School - 03?
The student-teacher ratio at Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 is 14:1, which is 3% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dell Rapids Middle School - 03?
9.7% of students at Dell Rapids 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 Dell Rapids Middle School - 03?
The largest demographic group at Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 is White at 92.5% of enrollment, in Dell Rapids, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dell Rapids Middle School - 03?
Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher 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 Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 rank among public schools in Dell Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Dell Rapids, 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 Dell Rapids on the city page.
Is Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 a good school?
Dell Rapids Middle School - 03 earns 56/100 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 Dell Rapids School District 49-3?
Besides Dell Rapids Middle School - 03, Dell Rapids School District 49-3 also operates Dell Rapids Elementary - 02 (355 students) and Dell Rapids High School - 01 (315 students). See the Dell Rapids School District 49-3 district page for the complete list.
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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.