Enrollment
497
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Aberdeen, SD
Holgate Middle School - 02
Federal NCES profile for Holgate Middle School - 02, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 460207000005
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Holgate Middle School - 02 earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of South Dakota schools.
- #9 of 12
- public schools in Aberdeen · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 22.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Holgate Middle School - 02 has class sizes larger than 70% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Holgate Middle School - 02 ranks #9 of 12 public schools in Aberdeen, SD.
School address
District: Aberdeen School District 06-1 · South Dakota
NCES ID 460207000005 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.5%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Holgate Middle School - 02 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Holgate Middle School - 02
Holgate Middle School - 02 is a large middle school in Aberdeen, South Dakota, enrolling 497 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 22.5% 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 90% of state schools at 497 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 80 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #32.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Two or More (8%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 331 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
11.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Aberdeen School District 06-1 spends $9,917 per pupil, 26% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 108 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 497 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Aberdeen's middle schools, it stands alongside Simmons Middle School - 03 (464 students): Holgate Middle School - 02 is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.1:1 vs 14.1:1).
Aberdeen School District 06-1 also operates Central High School - 01 (1,384 students) and Simmons Middle School - 03 (464 students) alongside Holgate 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 Holgate Middle School - 02 compares
Holgate 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 | 15.1:1 | ▲ 11% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.5% | ▼ 22% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 497 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
497
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 70% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
11.9%
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
$9,917
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 331 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
67
in-school suspensions + 41 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.7 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 75.7%
Two or More 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.0%
Asian 3.4%
African American 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Largest group: White at 75.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.4, Holgate Middle School - 02 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Aberdeen School District 06-1, which includes Holgate Middle School - 02.
$9,917
Per student
-26%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.7%
State 40.1%
Federal 12.2%
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 Holgate Middle School - 02 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Simmons Middle School - 03 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Simmons Elementary - 10 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| C C Lee Elementary - 05 | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| May Overby Elementary - 09 | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Holgate Middle School - 02's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,384
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 464
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 386
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 356
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 327
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle schools in Aberdeen
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~497 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Holgate Middle School - 02's federal record.
- Compare Holgate Middle School - 02 against another school. Compare schools
- Aberdeen School District 06-1'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 Holgate Middle School - 02
How many students attend Holgate Middle School - 02?
Holgate Middle School - 02 has 497 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Aberdeen, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Holgate Middle School - 02?
The student-teacher ratio at Holgate Middle School - 02 is 15.1:1, which is 11% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Holgate Middle School - 02?
22.5% of students at Holgate 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 Holgate Middle School - 02?
The largest demographic group at Holgate Middle School - 02 is White at 75.7% of enrollment, in Aberdeen, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Holgate Middle School - 02?
Holgate Middle School - 02 has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical 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 Holgate Middle School - 02 rank among public schools in Aberdeen?
By Resource Investment Index, Holgate Middle School - 02 ranks #9 of 12 public schools in Aberdeen, 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 Aberdeen on the city page.
Is Holgate Middle School - 02 a good school?
Holgate Middle School - 02 earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of 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 Aberdeen School District 06-1?
Besides Holgate Middle School - 02, Aberdeen School District 06-1 also operates Central High School - 01 (1,384 students), Simmons Middle School - 03 (464 students), and Simmons Elementary - 10 (386 students). See the Aberdeen School District 06-1 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.