Enrollment
614
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Rapid City, SD
Southwest Middle School - 38
Federal NCES profile for Southwest Middle School - 38, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 465982000457
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest Middle School - 38 earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of South Dakota schools.
- #2 of 5
- middle schools in Rapid City · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.1:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 9.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest Middle School - 38 has class sizes larger than 90% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle School - 38 ranks #2 of 5 middle schools in Rapid City, SD.
School address
District: Rapid City Area School District 51-4 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465982000457 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
9.2%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest Middle School - 38 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest Middle School - 38
Southwest Middle School - 38 is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Rapid City, South Dakota, enrolling 614 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.1:1 is larger than about 90% of South Dakota schools and 33% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 9.2% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 94% of state schools at 614 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Among 59 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #51, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Two or More (10%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 614 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 18.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Rapid City's middle schools, it stands alongside South Middle School - 36 (618 students): Southwest Middle School - 38 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.1:1 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 Southwest Middle School - 38.
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 Southwest Middle School - 38 compares
Southwest Middle School - 38 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 | 18.1:1 | ▲ 33% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.2% | ▼ 68% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 614 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
614
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
9.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% 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
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 90% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.0%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 614 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
37
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.8 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 76.7%
Two or More 9.8%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.6%
Asian 2.6%
African American 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 76.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.6, Southwest Middle School - 38 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 Southwest Middle School - 38.
$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 Southwest Middle School - 38 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School - 41 | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stevens High School - 42 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Middle School - 36 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Middle School - 30 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Valley View Elementary - 13 | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest Middle School - 38'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
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 605
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
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
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
North Middle School - 35
Standard public school
418 students 11.9:1 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 (~614 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest Middle School - 38's federal record.
- Compare Southwest Middle School - 38 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 Southwest Middle School - 38
How many students attend Southwest Middle School - 38?
Southwest Middle School - 38 has 614 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Rapid City, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle School - 38?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest Middle School - 38 is 18.1:1, which is 33% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest Middle School - 38?
9.2% of students at Southwest Middle School - 38 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest Middle School - 38?
The largest demographic group at Southwest Middle School - 38 is White at 76.7% of enrollment, in Rapid City, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest Middle School - 38?
Southwest Middle School - 38 has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Southwest Middle School - 38 rank among middle schools in Rapid City?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest Middle School - 38 ranks #2 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 Southwest Middle School - 38 a good school?
Southwest Middle School - 38 earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Rapid City Area School District 51-4?
Besides Southwest Middle School - 38, 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.