Enrollment
672
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Pierre, SD
Georgia Morse Middle School - 02
Federal NCES profile for Georgia Morse Middle School - 02, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 465526000501
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Pierre · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.4:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 22.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 has class sizes larger than 80% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Pierre, SD.
School address
District: Pierre School District 32-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465526000501 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.1%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Georgia Morse Middle School - 02
Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 is a large middle school in Pierre, South Dakota, enrolling 672 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.4:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 22.1% lands close to the South Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 95% of state schools at 672 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 691 South Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 62 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #53, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 336 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Pierre School District 32-2 spends $9,982 per pupil, 26% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 151 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 672 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Pierre School District 32-2 also operates T F Riggs High School - 01 (855 students) and Buchanan Elementary - 03 (432 students) alongside Georgia Morse 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 Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 compares
Georgia Morse 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 | 16.4:1 | ▲ 21% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.1% | ▼ 23% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 672 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
672
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.1%
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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 80% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.0%
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
$9,982
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 336 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
94
in-school suspensions + 57 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.5 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 68.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 15.0%
Two or More 10.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%
Asian 1.0%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 68.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.1, Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pierre School District 32-2, which includes Georgia Morse Middle School - 02.
$9,982
Per student
-26%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.0%
State 40.7%
Federal 16.3%
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 Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| T F Riggs High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Buchanan Elementary - 03 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kennedy Elementary - 08 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Elementary - 06 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Georgia Morse Middle School - 02's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 432
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
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 (~672 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Georgia Morse Middle School - 02's federal record.
- Compare Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 against another school. Compare schools
- Pierre School District 32-2'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 Georgia Morse Middle School - 02
How many students attend Georgia Morse Middle School - 02?
Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 has 672 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Pierre, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Georgia Morse Middle School - 02?
The student-teacher ratio at Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 is 16.4:1, which is 21% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Georgia Morse Middle School - 02?
22.1% of students at Georgia Morse 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 Georgia Morse Middle School - 02?
The largest demographic group at Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 is White at 68.8% of enrollment, in Pierre, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Georgia Morse Middle School - 02?
Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower 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 Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 rank among public schools in Pierre?
By Resource Investment Index, Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Pierre, 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 Pierre on the city page.
Is Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 a good school?
Georgia Morse Middle School - 02 earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Pierre School District 32-2?
Besides Georgia Morse Middle School - 02, Pierre School District 32-2 also operates T F Riggs High School - 01 (855 students), Buchanan Elementary - 03 (432 students), and Kennedy Elementary - 08 (413 students). See the Pierre School District 32-2 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.