Enrollment
549
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Grand Forks, ND
South Middle School
Federal NCES profile for South Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 380813000264
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Middle School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Dakota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North Dakota schools.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Grand Forks · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10:1
- students per teacher
- 24.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Middle School has class sizes near the North Dakota median. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Grand Forks, ND.
School address
District: Grand Forks 1 · North Dakota
NCES ID 380813000264 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.2%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Middle School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Middle School
South Middle School is a large middle school in Grand Forks, North Dakota, enrolling 549 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 24.2% lands close to the North Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 91% of state schools at 549 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 60 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #26.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Two or More (12%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 523 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Grand Forks 1 spends $14,844 per pupil, 20% below the North Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Grand Forks's middle schools, it stands alongside Schroeder Middle School (569 students): South Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10:1 vs 12.1:1).
Grand Forks 1 also operates Red River High School (1,190 students) and Central High School (1,115 students) alongside South Middle School.
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 South Middle School compares
South Middle School on the metrics families compare, against North Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Dakota | North Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10:1 | ▼ 15% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.2% | ▼ 14% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 549 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10:1
Leaner classes than 89% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
549
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% below the North Dakota average of 28.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
10:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 36% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
20.2%
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
$14,844
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $18,450
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.1 FTE
Per 523 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 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 56.5%
Two or More 11.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.3%
African American 10.7%
Asian 6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.5%
Largest group: White at 56.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, South Middle School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Grand Forks 1, which includes South Middle School.
$14,844
Per student
-20%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.3%
State 53.5%
Federal 19.2%
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 South Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red River High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Schroeder Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Discovery Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,190
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,115
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 569
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 508
- Students per teacher
- 9.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar middle schools in Grand Forks
2 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 North Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~549 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Middle School's federal record.
- Compare South Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Grand Forks 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 South Middle School
How many students attend South Middle School?
South Middle School has 549 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Grand Forks, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Middle School is 10:1, which is 15% lower than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 36% 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 South Middle School?
24.2% of students at South Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Middle School?
The largest demographic group at South Middle School is White at 56.5% of enrollment, in Grand Forks, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Middle School?
South Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 South Middle School rank among middle schools in Grand Forks?
By Resource Investment Index, South Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Grand Forks, ND. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Grand Forks on the city page.
Is South Middle School a good school?
South Middle School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Dakota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North 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 Grand Forks 1?
Besides South Middle School, Grand Forks 1 also operates Red River High School (1,190 students), Central High School (1,115 students), and Schroeder Middle School (569 students). See the Grand Forks 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.