Enrollment
591
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Rapid City, SD
West Middle School - 37
Federal NCES profile for West Middle School - 37, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 465982000822
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Middle School - 37 earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of South Dakota schools.
- #3 of 5
- middle schools in Rapid City · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.6:1
- large classes for South Dakota
- 19.8%
- free-lunch eligible
West Middle School - 37 has class sizes larger than 74% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Middle School - 37 ranks #3 of 5 middle schools in Rapid City, SD.
School address
District: Rapid City Area School District 51-4 · South Dakota
NCES ID 465982000822 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.8%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Middle School - 37 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Middle School - 37
West Middle School - 37 is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Rapid City, South Dakota, enrolling 591 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the larger third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 19.8% lands close to the South Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 93% of state schools at 591 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 691 South Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 78 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #75, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Two or More (12%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 591 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights 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.
Among Rapid City's middle schools, it stands alongside South Middle School - 36 (618 students): West Middle School - 37 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.6:1 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 West Middle School - 37.
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 Middle School - 37 compares
West Middle School - 37 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 | 15.6:1 | ▲ 15% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.8% | ▼ 31% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 591 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
591
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 74% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.2%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 591 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
82
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.9 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
White 71.2%
Two or More 11.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 6.8%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 71.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.6, West Middle School - 37 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 West Middle School - 37.
$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 West Middle School - 37 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southwest Middle School - 38 | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Middle School - 30 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Middle School - 37'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
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 (~591 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Middle School - 37's federal record.
- Compare West Middle School - 37 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 West Middle School - 37
How many students attend West Middle School - 37?
West Middle School - 37 has 591 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Rapid City, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Middle School - 37?
The student-teacher ratio at West Middle School - 37 is 15.6:1, which is 15% higher than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Middle School - 37?
19.8% of students at West Middle School - 37 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Middle School - 37?
The largest demographic group at West Middle School - 37 is White at 71.2% of enrollment, in Rapid City, SD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Middle School - 37?
West Middle School - 37 has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 West Middle School - 37 rank among middle schools in Rapid City?
By Resource Investment Index, West Middle School - 37 ranks #3 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 West Middle School - 37 a good school?
West Middle School - 37 earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% 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 West Middle School - 37, 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.