Enrollment
115
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hill City, SD
Hill City Middle School - 04
Federal NCES profile for Hill City Middle School - 04, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 463336000848
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 89
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hill City Middle School - 04 earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Hill City · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.2:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 23.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Hill City Middle School - 04 has class sizes larger than 93% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hill City Middle School - 04 ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Hill City, SD.
School address
District: Hill City School District 51-2 · South Dakota
NCES ID 463336000848 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.2:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+41% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.3%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hill City Middle School - 04 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hill City Middle School - 04
Hill City Middle School - 04 is a mid-sized middle school in Hill City, South Dakota, enrolling 115 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.2:1 is larger than about 93% of South Dakota schools and 41% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 23.3% lands close to the South Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 115 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Dakota median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 139 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #66.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 58 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
15.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 21.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Hill City School District 51-2 also operates Hill City Elementary - 02 (247 students) and Hill City High School - 01 (158 students) alongside Hill City Middle School - 04.
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 Hill City Middle School - 04 compares
Hill City Middle School - 04 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 | 19.2:1 | ▲ 41% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.3% | ▼ 19% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 115 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
115
Bigger than 11% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 41% above state mean
Top 93% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,550
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 58 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.5 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 66.1%
Hispanic or Latino 22.6%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
Largest group: White at 66.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.6, Hill City Middle School - 04 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hill City School District 51-2, which includes Hill City Middle School - 04.
$11,550
Per student
-14%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 76.4%
State 2.0%
Federal 21.6%
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 Hill City Middle School - 04 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hill City Elementary - 02 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hill City High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hill City Middle School - 04's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 247
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 158
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
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 (~115 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hill City Middle School - 04's federal record.
- Compare Hill City Middle School - 04 against another school. Compare schools
- Hill City School District 51-2'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 Hill City Middle School - 04
How many students attend Hill City Middle School - 04?
Hill City Middle School - 04 has 115 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hill City, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hill City Middle School - 04?
The student-teacher ratio at Hill City Middle School - 04 is 19.2:1, which is 41% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hill City Middle School - 04?
23.3% of students at Hill City Middle School - 04 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hill City Middle School - 04?
The largest demographic group at Hill City Middle School - 04 is White at 66.1% of enrollment, in Hill City, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hill City Middle School - 04?
Hill City Middle School - 04 has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (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 Hill City Middle School - 04 rank among public schools in Hill City?
By Resource Investment Index, Hill City Middle School - 04 ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Hill City, 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 Hill City on the city page.
Is Hill City Middle School - 04 a good school?
Hill City Middle School - 04 earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of South Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools. 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 Hill City School District 51-2?
Besides Hill City Middle School - 04, Hill City School District 51-2 also operates Hill City Elementary - 02 (247 students) and Hill City High School - 01 (158 students). See the Hill City School District 51-2 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.