Enrollment
283
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Wagner, SD
Wagner Middle School - 03
Federal NCES profile for Wagner Middle School - 03, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 467542000942
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wagner Middle School - 03 earns 37/100 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.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Wagner · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.5:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Wagner Middle School - 03 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wagner Middle School - 03 ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Wagner, SD.
School address
District: Wagner Community School District 11-4 · South Dakota
NCES ID 467542000942 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+247% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wagner Middle School - 03 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wagner Middle School - 03
Wagner Middle School - 03 is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Wagner, South Dakota, enrolling 283 students.
At 13.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Dakota median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
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 283 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 mid-pack at #9.
Its student body is led by American Indian / Alaska Native (61%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 283 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 64.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 158 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 283 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Wagner's elementary schools, it stands alongside Wagner Elementary - 02 (333 students): Wagner Middle School - 03 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.5:1 vs 10.7:1).
Wagner Community School District 11-4 also operates Wagner Elementary - 02 (333 students) and Wagner High School - 01 (201 students) alongside Wagner Middle School - 03.
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 Wagner Middle School - 03 compares
Wagner Middle School - 03 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 1% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 247% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 283 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
283
Bigger than 30% 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 52% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.3%
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
$14,978
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Dakota avg of $13,477
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 283 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
94
in-school suspensions + 64 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 33.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 55.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 60.8%
White 27.6%
Two or More 10.6%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%
Largest group: American Indian / Alaska Native at 60.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.3, Wagner Middle School - 03 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wagner Community School District 11-4, which includes Wagner Middle School - 03.
$14,978
Per student
+11%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.4%
State 24.5%
Federal 64.1%
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 Wagner Middle School - 03 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wagner Elementary - 02 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wagner High School - 01 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Early Learning Center - 04 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wagner Middle School - 03's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 333
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 201
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 102
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar elementary schools in Wagner
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~283 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wagner Middle School - 03's federal record.
- Compare Wagner Middle School - 03 against another school. Compare schools
- Wagner Community School District 11-4'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 Wagner Middle School - 03
How many students attend Wagner Middle School - 03?
Wagner Middle School - 03 has 283 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Wagner, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wagner Middle School - 03?
The student-teacher ratio at Wagner Middle School - 03 is 13.5:1, which is 1% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 14% 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 Wagner Middle School - 03?
100.0% of students at Wagner Middle School - 03 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wagner Middle School - 03?
The largest demographic group at Wagner Middle School - 03 is American Indian / Alaska Native at 60.8% of enrollment, in Wagner, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wagner Middle School - 03?
Wagner Middle School - 03 has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Wagner Middle School - 03 rank among public schools in Wagner?
By Resource Investment Index, Wagner Middle School - 03 ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Wagner, 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 Wagner on the city page.
Is Wagner Middle School - 03 a good school?
Wagner Middle School - 03 earns 37/100 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 Wagner Community School District 11-4?
Besides Wagner Middle School - 03, Wagner Community School District 11-4 also operates Wagner Elementary - 02 (333 students), Wagner High School - 01 (201 students), and Early Learning Center - 04 (102 students). See the Wagner Community School District 11-4 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.