Enrollment
297
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Hartford, SD
West Central Middle School - 04
Federal NCES profile for West Central Middle School - 04, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 463171000909
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Central Middle School - 04 earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Hartford · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 9.6%
- free-lunch eligible
West Central Middle School - 04 has class sizes near the South Dakota median. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Central Middle School - 04 ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Hartford, SD.
School address
District: West Central School District 49-7 · South Dakota
NCES ID 463171000909 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
9.6%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Central Middle School - 04 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Central Middle School - 04
West Central Middle School - 04 is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Hartford, South Dakota, enrolling 297 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 9.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 297 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Against 78 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #29.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 18/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 334 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding West Central School District 49-7 spends $9,843 per pupil, 27% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
West Central School District 49-7 also operates West Central High School - 01 (408 students) and West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 (368 students) alongside West Central Middle School - 04.
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 West Central Middle School - 04 compares
West Central Middle School - 04 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 | 14.8:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.6% | ▼ 67% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 297 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
297
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
9.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 67% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
6.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$9,843
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
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
23
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.8 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 90.6%
Two or More 3.7%
Hispanic or Latino 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.0%
African American 1.0%
Largest group: White at 90.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.7, West Central Middle School - 04 is less mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Central School District 49-7, which includes West Central Middle School - 04.
$9,843
Per student
-27%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.4%
State 39.1%
Federal 12.5%
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 West Central Middle School - 04 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Central High School - 01 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Central Humboldt Elementary - 02 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Falls Academy - 08 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brighten Transition Youth Treatment Center - 07 | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Central Middle School - 04's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 408
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 368
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 310
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 29
- Students per teacher
- 29:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 6
- Students per teacher
- 3:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
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 (~297 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Central Middle School - 04's federal record.
- Compare West Central Middle School - 04 against another school. Compare schools
- West Central School District 49-7'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 West Central Middle School - 04
How many students attend West Central Middle School - 04?
West Central Middle School - 04 has 297 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Hartford, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Central Middle School - 04?
The student-teacher ratio at West Central Middle School - 04 is 14.8:1, which is 9% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Central Middle School - 04?
9.6% of students at West Central Middle School - 04 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Central Middle School - 04?
The largest demographic group at West Central Middle School - 04 is White at 90.6% of enrollment, in Hartford, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Central Middle School - 04?
West Central Middle School - 04 has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 West Central Middle School - 04 rank among public schools in Hartford?
By Resource Investment Index, West Central Middle School - 04 ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Hartford, 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 Hartford on the city page.
Is West Central Middle School - 04 a good school?
West Central Middle School - 04 earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Dakota median. 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 West Central School District 49-7?
Besides West Central Middle School - 04, West Central School District 49-7 also operates West Central High School - 01 (408 students), West Central Hartford Elementary - 05 (368 students), and West Central Humboldt Elementary - 02 (310 students). See the West Central School District 49-7 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.