Best Middle Schools in South Dakota (2025-26)

Ranked middle schools

138

Listed, not ranked

Every ranked middle school in South Dakota, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.

South Dakota rankings: High Schools · Middle Schools · Elementary Schools

South Dakota middle schools ranked

Rank	Grade	School	City	District	Actual	Projected	Impact	Students
#1	A+	Armour Middle School 03	Armour	Armour School District 21-1	75%	52%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	49
#2	A+	Corsica Stickney JR High 03	Corsica	Corsica-Stickney 21-3	75%	40%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	42
#3	A+	Deubrook JR High 02	White	Deubrook Area School District 05-6	75%	37%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	56
#4	A+	Highmore JR High 03	Highmore	Highmore-Harrold 34-2	75%	61%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	35
#5	A+	Langford Area Middle School 03	Langford	Langford Area 45-5	75%	61%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	42
#6	A+	Mcintosh Middle School 03	Mcintosh	McIntosh School District 15-1	75%	26%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	37
#7	A+	Sanborn Central Middle School 02	Forestburg	Sanborn Central School District 55-5	75%	46%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	30
#8	A	Lennox JR High 08	Lennox	Lennox School District 41-4	60%	43%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	189
#9	A	Menno Middle School 05	Menno	Menno School District 33-2	60%	47%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	65
#10	A-	Brandon Valley Middle School 02	Brandon	Brandon Valley School District 49-2	56%	51%	Exceeds Expectations	729
#11	A-	Dell Rapids Middle School 03	Dell Rapids	Dell Rapids School District 49-3	55%	53%	Exceeds Expectations	299
#12	A-	Memorial Middle School 04	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	54%	56%	Meets Expectations	1,168
#13	B+	Edison Middle School 06	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	52%	48%	Exceeds Expectations	916
#14	B+	Georgia Morse Middle School 02	Pierre	Pierre School District 32-2	51%	47%	Exceeds Expectations	684
#15	B+	Harrisburg North Middle School 08	Sioux Falls	Harrisburg School District 41-2	51%	56%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	747
#16	B+	Dakota Valley Middle School 03	North Sioux City	Dakota Valley School District 61-8	50%	45%	Exceeds Expectations	342
#17	B+	Elk Point Jefferson Middle School 03	Elk Point	Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7	50%	44%	Exceeds Expectations	153
#18	B+	Groton Area Middle School 04	Groton	Groton Area School District 06-6	50%	47%	Exceeds Expectations	127
#19	B+	Hill City Middle School 04	Hill City	Hill City School District 51-2	50%	45%	Exceeds Expectations	120
#20	B+	Hot Springs Middle School 06	Hot Springs	Hot Springs School District 23-2	50%	39%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	187
#21	B+	Jones County Middle School 04	Murdo	Jones County School District 37-3	50%	43%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	54
#22	B+	Kimball Middle School 04	Kimball	Kimball School District 07-2	50%	43%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	96
#23	B+	Milbank Middle School 02	Milbank	Milbank School District 25-4	50%	43%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	229
#24	B+	Patrick Henry Middle School 07	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	50%	52%	Meets Expectations	940
#25	B+	Southwest Middle School 38	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	50%	56%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	660
#26	B+	Watertown Middle School 02	Watertown	Watertown School District 14-4	48%	49%	Meets Expectations	600
#27	B	Stagebarn Middle School 10	Summerset	Meade School District 46-1	47%	50%	Meets Expectations	457
#28	B	Harrisburg South Middle School 03	Harrisburg	Harrisburg School District 41-2	45%	58%	Underperforms Expectations	667
#29	B	Sturgis Williams Middle School 02	Sturgis	Meade School District 46-1	45%	46%	Meets Expectations	489
#30	B	Tri Valley Intermediate School 03	Colton	Tri-Valley School District 49-6	45%	47%	Meets Expectations	317
#31	B	Yankton Middle School 02	Yankton	Yankton School District 63-3	45%	39%	Exceeds Expectations	606
#32	B-	Avon Middle School 05	Avon	Avon School District 04-1	40%	35%	Exceeds Expectations	64
#33	B-	Baltic Middle School 03	Baltic	Baltic School District 49-1	40%	48%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	129
#34	B-	Beresford Middle School 03	Beresford	Beresford School District 61-2	40%	40%	Meets Expectations	174
#35	B-	Bon Homme Middle School 02	Tyndall	Bon Homme School District 04-2	40%	41%	Meets Expectations	110
#36	B-	Bridgewater Emery Middle School 04	Emery	Bridgewater-Emery 30-3	40%	32%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	71
#37	B-	Canistota Middle School 03	Canistota	Canistota School District 43-1	40%	38%	Exceeds Expectations	60
#38	B-	Canton Middle School 04	Canton	Canton School District 41-1	40%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	203
#39	B-	Custer JR High 05	Custer	Custer School District 16-1	40%	41%	Meets Expectations	101
#40	B-	Estelline Middle School 03	Estelline	Estelline School District 28-2	40%	39%	Meets Expectations	62
#41	B-	Florence Middle School 03	Florence	Florence School District 14-1	40%	40%	Meets Expectations	71
#42	B-	Freeman JR High 05	Freeman	Freeman School District 33-1	40%	39%	Meets Expectations	60
#43	B-	Gettysburg Middle School 03	Gettysburg	Gettysburg School District 53-1	40%	35%	Exceeds Expectations	48
#44	B-	Hanson Middle School 02	Alexandria	Hanson School District 30-1	40%	42%	Meets Expectations	87
#45	B-	Ipswich Middle School 04	Ipswich	Ipswich Public School District 22-6	40%	42%	Meets Expectations	77
#46	B-	Kadoka Middle School 03	Kadoka	Kadoka Area School District 35-2	40%	31%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	50
#47	B-	Platte Geddes JR High 03	Platte	Platte - Geddes School District 11-5	40%	41%	Meets Expectations	109
#48	B-	Stanley County Middle School 02	Fort Pierre	Stanley County School District 57-1	40%	43%	Meets Expectations	86
#49	B-	Timber Lake Middle School 03	Timber Lake	Timber Lake School District 20-3	40%	33%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	81
#50	B-	Wall Middle School 06	Wall	Wall School District 51-5	40%	39%	Meets Expectations	68
#51	B-	Warner Middle School 03	Warner	Warner School District 06-5	40%	46%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	72
#52	B-	Webster Area Middle School 02	Webster	Webster Area 18-5	40%	41%	Meets Expectations	125
#53	C	Belle Fourche Middle School 07	Belle Fourche	Belle Fourche School District 09-1	35%	37%	Meets Expectations	401
#54	C	George S Mickelson Middle School 02	Brookings	Brookings School District 05-1	35%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	751
#55	C	Madison Middle School 02	Madison	Madison Central School District 39-2	35%	38%	Meets Expectations	257
#56	C	West Central Middle School 04	Hartford	West Central School District 49-7	35%	47%	Underperforms Expectations	303
#57	C	East Middle School 30	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	33%	40%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	600
#58	C-	Clark Middle School 03	Clark	Clark School District 12-2	30%	34%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	87
#59	C-	Clear Lake Middle School 04	Clear Lake	Deuel School District 19-4	30%	35%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	125
#60	C-	Elkton JR High 03	Elkton	Elkton School District 05-3	30%	31%	Meets Expectations	73
#61	C-	Flandreau Middle School 03	Flandreau	Flandreau School District 50-3	30%	29%	Exceeds Expectations	186
#62	C-	Garretson Middle School 03	Garretson	Garretson School District 49-4	30%	46%	Underperforms Expectations	89
#63	C-	Hamlin Middle School 02	Hayti	Hamlin School District 28-3	30%	36%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	186
#64	C-	Holgate Middle School 02	Aberdeen	Aberdeen School District 06-1	30%	41%	Underperforms Expectations	512
#65	C-	Huron Middle School 02	Huron	Huron School District 02-2	30%	31%	Meets Expectations	695
#66	C-	Lead Deadwood Middle School 02	Lead	Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1	30%	41%	Underperforms Expectations	159
#67	C-	Mccook Central Middle School 03	Salem	McCook Central School District 43-7	30%	42%	Underperforms Expectations	96
#68	C-	Mitchell Middle School 02	Mitchell	Mitchell School District 17-2	30%	39%	Underperforms Expectations	616
#69	C-	Mobridge Middle School 02	Mobridge	Mobridge-Pollock 62-6	30%	32%	Meets Expectations	127
#70	C-	Parkston Middle School 05	Parkston	Parkston School District 33-3	30%	34%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	102
#71	C-	Simmons Middle School 03	Aberdeen	Aberdeen School District 06-1	30%	34%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	483
#72	C-	Viborg Hurley Middle School 03	Hurley	Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6	30%	37%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	125
#73	C-	West Middle School 37	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	30%	36%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	612
#74	C-	Spearfish Middle School 05	Spearfish	Spearfish School District 40-2	28%	37%	Underperforms Expectations	600
#75	D+	Whittier Middle School 08	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	26%	26%	Meets Expectations	704
#76	D+	De Smet Middle School 03	De Smet	De Smet School District 38-2	25%	30%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	82
#77	D+	Douglas Middle School 01	Box Elder	Douglas School District 51-1	25%	43%	Underperforms Expectations	670
#78	D+	Edmunds Central Middle School 02	Roscoe	Edmunds Central School District 22-5	25%	27%	Meets Expectations	37
#79	D+	Herreid Middle School 03	Herreid	Herreid School District 10-1	25%	30%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	35
#80	D+	Lake Preston Middle School 03	Lake Preston	Lake Preston School District 38-3	25%	28%	Meets Expectations	36
#81	D+	Marion Middle School 03	Marion	Marion School District 60-3	25%	33%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	48
#82	D+	Montrose Middle School 03	Montrose	Montrose School District 43-2	25%	38%	Underperforms Expectations	57
#83	D+	Selby Middle School 03	Selby	Selby Area School District 62-5	25%	33%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	37
#84	D+	Sisseton Middle School 02	Sisseton	Sisseton School District 54-2	25%	23%	Exceeds Expectations	288
#85	D+	South Middle School 36	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	25%	35%	Underperforms Expectations	553
#86	D+	Tea Area Middle School 02	Tea	Tea Area School District 41-5	25%	47%	Underperforms Expectations	563
#87	D+	Vermillion Middle School 02	Vermillion	Vermillion School District 13-1	25%	30%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	321
#88	D+	Wagner Middle School 03	Wagner	Wagner Community School District 11-4	25%	27%	Meets Expectations	264
#89	D+	Waubay Middle School 03	Waubay	Waubay School District 18-3	25%	30%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	32
#90	D+	White Lake Middle School 03	White Lake	White Lake School District 01-3	25%	28%	Meets Expectations	30
#91	D+	Willow Lake Middle School 03	Willow Lake	Willow Lake School District 12-3	25%	30%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	58
#92	D	Alcester Hudson JR High 03	Alcester	Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1	21%	37%	Underperforms Expectations	53
#93	D	Arlington JR High 03	Arlington	Arlington School District 38-1	21%	29%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	38
#94	D	Britton Hecla Middle School 03	Britton	Britton-Hecla School District 45-4	21%	29%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	104
#95	D	Burke Middle School 04	Burke	Burke School District 26-2	21%	28%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	73
#96	D	Castlewood Middle School 03	Castlewood	Castlewood School District 28-1	21%	47%	Underperforms Expectations	75
#97	D	Centerville Middle School 03	Centerville	Centerville School District 60-1	21%	38%	Underperforms Expectations	74
#98	D	Chester Middle School 03	Chester	Chester Area School District 39-1	21%	39%	Underperforms Expectations	75
#99	D	Colman Egan JR High 02	Colman	Colman-Egan School District 50-5	21%	33%	Underperforms Expectations	47
#100	D	Colome Middle School 03	Colome	Colome Consolidated 59-3	21%	23%	Meets Expectations	30
#101	D	Ethan JR High 03	Ethan	Ethan School District 17-1	21%	30%	Underperforms Expectations	44
#102	D	Faulkton Middle School 08	Faulkton	Faulkton Area Schools 24-4	21%	27%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	57
#103	D	Harding County Middle School 03	Buffalo	Harding County School District 31-1	21%	30%	Underperforms Expectations	60
#104	D	Irene Wakonda JR High 04	Irene	Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3	21%	26%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	49
#105	D	Lemmon JR High 06	Lemmon	Lemmon School District 52-4	21%	27%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	56
#106	D	Mount Vernon Middle School 03	Mount Vernon	Mount Vernon School District 17-3	21%	32%	Underperforms Expectations	57
#107	D	New Underwood JR High 04	New Underwood	New Underwood School District 51-3	21%	27%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	68
#108	D	Northwestern Middle School 02	Mellette	Northwestern Area School District 56-7	21%	27%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	59
#109	D	Parker JR High 03	Parker	Parker School District 60-4	21%	31%	Underperforms Expectations	72
#110	D	Philip JR High 03	Philip	Haakon School District 27-1	21%	36%	Underperforms Expectations	49
#111	D	Plankinton JR High 03	Plankinton	Plankinton School District 01-1	21%	24%	Meets Expectations	51
#112	D	Sully Buttes Middle School 06	Onida	Agar-Blunt-Onida School District 58-3	21%	31%	Underperforms Expectations	54
#113	D	Waverly South Shore Middle School 03	Waverly	Waverly School District 14-5	21%	31%	Underperforms Expectations	57
#114	D	Wilmot Middle School 03	Wilmot	Wilmot School District 54-7	21%	26%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	34
#115	D	Chamberlain JR High 02	Chamberlain	Chamberlain School District 07-1	20%	34%	Underperforms Expectations	182
#116	D	Gayville Volin Middle School 03	Gayville	Gayville-Volin School District 63-1	20%	29%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	63
#117	D	Miller JR High 04	Miller	Miller 29-4	20%	26%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	61
#118	D	Sioux Valley Middle School 04	Volga	Sioux Valley School District 05-5	20%	32%	Underperforms Expectations	161
#119	D-	George Mcgovern Middle School 09	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	18%	32%	Underperforms Expectations	719
#120	D-	North Middle School 35	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	15%	20%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	513
#121	F	Mclaughlin Middle School 03	Mclaughlin	McLaughlin School District 15-2	11%	9%	Exceeds Expectations	74
#122	F	Redfield Middle School 02	Redfield	Redfield School District 56-4	11%	36%	Underperforms Expectations	114
#123	F	White River Middle School 04	White River	White River School District 47-1	11%	13%	Meets Expectations	90
#124	F	Winner Middle School 02	Winner	Winner School District 59-2	11%	35%	Underperforms Expectations	160
#125	F	Wolsey Wessington Middle School 03	Wolsey	Wolsey Wessington School District 02-6	11%	22%	Underperforms Expectations	83
#126	F	Andes Central Middle School 04	Lake Andes	Andes Central School District 11-1	10%	18%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	62
#127	F	Bennett County Middle School 06	Martin	Bennett County School District 03-1	10%	11%	Meets Expectations	111
#128	F	Gregory Junior High 04	Gregory	Gregory School District 26-4	10%	20%	Underperforms Expectations	77
#129	F	Henry Middle School 03	Henry	Henry School District 14-2	10%	21%	Underperforms Expectations	45
#130	F	Howard JR High 05	Howard	Howard School District 48-3	10%	36%	Underperforms Expectations	79
#131	F	Iroquois Middle School 02	Iroquois	Iroquois School District 02-3	10%	19%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	49
#132	F	Lyman Middle School 02	Presho	Lyman School District 42-1	10%	34%	Underperforms Expectations	83
#133	F	Newell Middle School 04	Newell	Newell School District 09-2	10%	21%	Underperforms Expectations	62
#134	F	Rosholt Middle School 04	Rosholt	Rosholt School District 54-4	10%	20%	Underperforms Expectations	55
#135	F	Scotland Middle School 05	Scotland	Scotland School District 04-3	10%	25%	Underperforms Expectations	82
#136	F	Wakpala Middle School 04	Wakpala	Smee School District 15-3	10%	12%	Meets Expectations	37
#137	F	Wessington Springs JR High 04	Wessington Springs	Wessington Springs School District 36-2	10%	35%	Underperforms Expectations	42
#138	F	Dupree JR High 04	Dupree	Dupree School District 64-2	5%	10%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	50

How South Dakota's middle schools compare

A: 12B: 40C: 22D: 46F: 18

38% of the 138 ranked middle schools in South Dakota earn an A or B (12 A grades, 40 B, 22 C, 46 D, 18 F), against 47% of middle schools nationwide. 64 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (46% here, 71% nationally), and 31 exceed it. On average 32% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 36% (national averages: 39% actual, 38% projected).

The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Mcintosh Middle School 03 (75% against 26%, A+), Deubrook JR High 02 (75% against 37%, A+), Corsica Stickney JR High 03 (75% against 40%, A+), Sanborn Central Middle School 02 (75% against 46%, A+), Armour Middle School 03 (75% against 52%, A+).

Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 35): Sioux Falls School District 49-5 (3), Harrisburg School District 41-2 (2), Meade School District 46-1 (2).

Cities with the most ranked middle schools: Sioux Falls (6, 4 at A or B), Rapid City (5, 1 at A or B).

The largest ranked middle schools: Memorial Middle School 04 (1,168 students, A-, #12), Patrick Henry Middle School 07 (940 students, B+, #24), Edison Middle School 06 (916 students, B+, #13).

Middle schools in South Dakota that are not ranked

19 graded middle schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.

Special-purpose schools (1)

Alternative, special-education and vocational schools serve a different mission and a different student body, so they are graded but not ranked against regular schools.

D+ Axtell Park Middle School 47, Sioux Falls

Very small schools (11)

Schools with fewer than 30 students have grades that swing on a handful of test results.

D Bison JR High 04, Bison
D+ Bowdle JR High 03, Bowdle
D+ Doland JR High 02, Doland
D+ Eureka JR High 03, Eureka
D+ Faith JR High 06, Faith
A+ Frederick JR High 03, Frederick
A+ Hitchcock Tulare JR High School 02, Tulare
D+ Hoven JR High 03, Hoven
D+ Leola JR High 03, Leola
D+ Oelrichs JR High 03, Oelrichs
D+ Tripp Delmont JR High 02, Tripp

Not yet graded (7)

Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.

Ben Reifel Middle School 68, Sioux Falls
Big Stone City Middle School 03, Big Stone City
Brandon Valley Distance Learning Academy Middle School 93, Brandon
Eagle Butte JR High 06, Eagle Butte
Todd County Achievement Middle School 18, Mission
Todd County Middle School 10, Mission
Wessington Springs Middle School Cyber School 93, Wessington Springs

About this ranking

Scope: every public middle school in South Dakota.
Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the middle schools.
Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works

Questions about middle schools in South Dakota

What is the best middle school in South Dakota?

Armour Middle School 03 in Armour ranks first among the 138 ranked middle schools in South Dakota with a SchoolGrade of A+, 75% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 52%.

How are middle schools in South Dakota ranked?

By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.

How many middle schools does South Dakota have?

SchoolGrade grades 157 public middle schools in South Dakota; 138 are ranked here and 19 are listed as not ranked.