Enrollment
675
South Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sioux Falls, SD
Whittier Middle School - 08
Federal NCES profile for Whittier Middle School - 08, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 466627000611
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whittier Middle School - 08 earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota.
- #3 of 8
- middle schools in Sioux Falls · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.9:1
- small classes for South Dakota
- 57.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Whittier Middle School - 08 has class sizes smaller than 73% of South Dakota schools. Computed live against every South Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Middle School - 08 ranks #3 of 8 middle schools in Sioux Falls, SD.
School address
District: Sioux Falls School District 49-5 · South Dakota
NCES ID 466627000611 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.9:1
vs 13.6:1 South Dakota avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.5%
vs 28.8% South Dakota avg
+100% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whittier Middle School - 08 compares with South Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whittier Middle School - 08
Whittier Middle School - 08 is a higher-need, large middle school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, enrolling 675 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of South Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 57.5% of students qualify for free meals, 100% above the South Dakota average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Dakota, bigger than 95% of state schools at 675 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 691 scored South Dakota schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (29%) and African American (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 225 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Sioux Falls School District 49-5 spends $10,788 per pupil, 20% below the South Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 340 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 675 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Sioux Falls's middle schools, it stands alongside Memorial Middle School - 04 (1,133 students): Whittier Middle School - 08 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.9:1 vs 16.4:1).
Sioux Falls School District 49-5 also operates Lincoln High School - 02 (1,954 students) and Jefferson High School - 67 (1,888 students) alongside Whittier Middle School - 08.
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 Whittier Middle School - 08 compares
Whittier Middle School - 08 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 | 10.9:1 | ▼ 20% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.5% | ▲ 100% | 28.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 675 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.9:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
675
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 100% 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
10.9:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 27% in South Dakota - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
35.9%
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
$10,788
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 225 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
205
in-school suspensions + 135 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 30.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 50.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
Hispanic or Latino 28.9%
African American 28.0%
White 20.4%
Asian 8.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.9%
Two or More 6.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 28.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.9, Whittier Middle School - 08 is more mixed than the South Dakota school average of 27.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sioux Falls School District 49-5, which includes Whittier Middle School - 08.
$10,788
Per student
-20%
vs South Dakota
Avg $13,477
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.1%
State 33.1%
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 Whittier Middle School - 08 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School - 02 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson High School - 67 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington High School - 01 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School - 03 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Memorial Middle School - 04 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whittier Middle School - 08's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,954
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,888
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,819
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,785
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,133
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar middle schools in Sioux Falls
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Memorial Middle School - 04
Standard public school
1,133 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Edison Middle School - 06
Standard public school
937 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Patrick Henry Middle School - 07
Standard public school
925 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Ben Reifel Middle School - 68
Standard public school
885 students 13:1 students per teacher
George Mcgovern Middle School -09
Standard public school
780 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Harrisburg North Middle School - 08
Standard public school
534 students 9.1:1 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 (~675 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whittier Middle School - 08's federal record.
- Compare Whittier Middle School - 08 against another school. Compare schools
- Sioux Falls School District 49-5'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 Whittier Middle School - 08
How many students attend Whittier Middle School - 08?
Whittier Middle School - 08 has 675 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sioux Falls, SD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whittier Middle School - 08?
The student-teacher ratio at Whittier Middle School - 08 is 10.9:1, which is 20% lower than the South Dakota average of 13.6:1 and 31% 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 Whittier Middle School - 08?
57.5% of students at Whittier Middle School - 08 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Dakota average of 28.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whittier Middle School - 08?
The largest demographic group at Whittier Middle School - 08 is Hispanic or Latino at 28.9% of enrollment, in Sioux Falls, SD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whittier Middle School - 08?
Whittier Middle School - 08 has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Whittier Middle School - 08 rank among middle schools in Sioux Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Middle School - 08 ranks #3 of 8 middle schools in Sioux Falls, 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 Sioux Falls on the city page.
Is Whittier Middle School - 08 a good school?
Whittier Middle School - 08 earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of South Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Dakota. 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 Sioux Falls School District 49-5?
Besides Whittier Middle School - 08, Sioux Falls School District 49-5 also operates Lincoln High School - 02 (1,954 students), Jefferson High School - 67 (1,888 students), and Washington High School - 01 (1,819 students). See the Sioux Falls School District 49-5 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.