- Enrollment
- 101
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Buffalo, SD
Harding County Middle School - 03
Federal NCES profile for Harding County Middle School - 03, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 460930000887
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 88
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harding County Middle School - 03 earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of South Dakota schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Buffalo · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 15.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Harding County Middle School - 03 has class sizes larger than 95% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harding County Middle School - 03 ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Buffalo, SD.
School address
District: Harding County School District 31-1 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460930000887 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-2 students YoY
Harding County Middle School - 03 held near 58 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 3.7 → 3.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-2 students YoY 460930000887 · Buffalo, SD Middle · SMALL · TRAD
60 enr · 20:1 · 15.0% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: Buffalo Elementary - 02 (101 students)
Harding County Middle School - 03 held near 58 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount). Teacher FTE held 3.7 → 3.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Dakota schools → · Find another →
Harding County Middle School - 03 in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Buffalo Elemen
Buffalo Elementary - 02
101 students
- Harding County
Harding County High School - 01
66 students
- This school
Harding County Middle School - 03
60 students
- Ludlow Element 8
Ludlow Elementary - 06
8 students
- Camp Crook Ele 8
Camp Crook Elementary - 08
8 students
What this shows Harding County Middle School - 03 reports 60 students on the CCD universe file.
How Harding County Middle School - 03 compares
Harding County Middle School - 03 held steady on CCD headcount: 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 | 20:1 | ▲ 47% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.0% | ▼ 48% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 60 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
60
Bigger than 6% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
15.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
20:1
students per teacher
- 47% above state mean
Top 95% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,112
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Dakota avg of $13,985
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 60 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 100.0%
Largest group: White at 100.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 0.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 0.0, Harding County Middle School - 03 is less mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
District finance for Harding County School District 31-1 reports $17,112 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Harding County Middle School - 03 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Elementary - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harding County High School - 01 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ludlow Elementary - 06 | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Camp Crook Elementary - 08 | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harding County Middle School - 03's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 66
- Students per teacher
- 9.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 8
- Students per teacher
- 8:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
- Enrollment
- 8
- Students per teacher
- 8:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
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 (~60 students)
Frequently asked questions about Harding County Middle School - 03
How many students attend Harding County Middle School - 03?
Harding County Middle School - 03 has 60 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Buffalo, SD. CCD year-over-year: 60 (2022-23) → 58 (2023-24), nearly flat (-2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harding County Middle School - 03?
The student-teacher ratio at Harding County Middle School - 03 is 20:1, which is 47% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 27% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harding County Middle School - 03?
15.0% of students at Harding County 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 Harding County Middle School - 03?
The largest demographic group at Harding County Middle School - 03 is White at 100.0% of enrollment, in Buffalo, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harding County Middle School - 03?
Harding County Middle School - 03 has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical 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 Harding County Middle School - 03 rank among public schools in Buffalo?
By Resource Investment Index, Harding County Middle School - 03 ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Buffalo, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Harding County School District 31-1?
Besides Harding County Middle School - 03, Harding County School District 31-1 also operates Buffalo Elementary - 02 (101 students), Harding County High School - 01 (66 students), and Ludlow Elementary - 06 (8 students). See the Harding County School District 31-1 district page for the complete list.