Enrollment
418
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Rapid City, SD
North Middle School - 35
Federal NCES profile for North Middle School - 35, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 465982000532
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Middle School - 35 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most South Dakota schools.
- #1 of 5
- middle schools in Rapid City · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.9:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
North Middle School - 35 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Middle School - 35 ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Rapid City, SD.
School address
District: Rapid City Area School District 51-4 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465982000532 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+247% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Middle School - 35 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Middle School - 35
North Middle School - 35 is a high-poverty, large middle school in Rapid City, South Dakota, enrolling 418 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 100.0% of students qualify for free meals, 247% above the South Dakota average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 418 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 17 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #7.
Its student body is led by American Indian / Alaska Native (49%) and White (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 209 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 67.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 288 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 418 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Rapid City's middle schools, it stands alongside South Middle School - 36 (618 students): North Middle School - 35 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.9:1 vs 14.7:1).
Rapid City Area School District 51-4 also operates Central High School - 41 (1,998 students) and Stevens High School - 42 (1,771 students) alongside North Middle School - 35.
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 North Middle School - 35 compares
North Middle School - 35 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 | 11.9:1 | ▼ 12% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 247% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 418 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
418
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 247% above the South Dakota average of 28.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 35% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
67.2%
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
$11,191
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 209 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
185
in-school suspensions + 103 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 44.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 68.9 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
American Indian / Alaska Native 48.8%
White 20.8%
Hispanic or Latino 15.3%
Two or More 13.4%
Asian 1.4%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: American Indian / Alaska Native at 48.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.7, North Middle School - 35 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rapid City Area School District 51-4, which includes North Middle School - 35.
$11,191
Per student
-17%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.3%
State 26.7%
Federal 18.9%
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 North Middle School - 35 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School - 41 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stevens High School - 42 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Middle School - 36 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southwest Middle School - 38 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Middle School - 30 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Middle School - 35's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,998
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,771
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 618
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar middle schools in Rapid City
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
South Middle School - 36
Standard public school
618 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Southwest Middle School - 38
Standard public school
614 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
East Middle School - 30
Standard public school
613 students 15:1 students per teacher
West Middle School - 37
Standard public school
591 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~418 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Middle School - 35's federal record.
- Compare North Middle School - 35 against another school. Compare schools
- Rapid City Area School District 51-4'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 North Middle School - 35
How many students attend North Middle School - 35?
North Middle School - 35 has 418 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Rapid City, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Middle School - 35?
The student-teacher ratio at North Middle School - 35 is 11.9:1, which is 12% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 24% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Middle School - 35?
100.0% of students at North Middle School - 35 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Middle School - 35?
The largest demographic group at North Middle School - 35 is American Indian / Alaska Native at 48.8% of enrollment, in Rapid City, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Middle School - 35?
North Middle School - 35 has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 North Middle School - 35 rank among middle schools in Rapid City?
By Resource Investment Index, North Middle School - 35 ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Rapid City, SD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Rapid City on the city page.
Is North Middle School - 35 a good school?
North Middle School - 35 earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. 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 Rapid City Area School District 51-4?
Besides North Middle School - 35, Rapid City Area School District 51-4 also operates Central High School - 41 (1,998 students), Stevens High School - 42 (1,771 students), and South Middle School - 36 (618 students). See the Rapid City Area School District 51-4 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.