Best Middle Schools in South Dakota (2025-26)

Ranked middle schools

140

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+	Herreid Middle School 03	Herreid	Herreid School District 10-1	73%	33%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	35
#2	A+	Warner Middle School 03	Warner	Warner School District 06-5	73%	51%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	72
#3	A+	Lake Preston Middle School 03	Lake Preston	Lake Preston School District 38-3	70%	37%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	36
#4	A+	Montrose Middle School 03	Montrose	Montrose School District 43-2	69%	41%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	57
#5	A+	Ipswich Middle School 04	Ipswich	Ipswich Public School District 22-6	68%	47%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	77
#6	A+	Mount Vernon Middle School 03	Mount Vernon	Mount Vernon School District 17-3	68%	42%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	57
#7	A+	Selby Middle School 03	Selby	Selby Area School District 62-5	68%	35%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	37
#8	A+	Dell Rapids Middle School 03	Dell Rapids	Dell Rapids School District 49-3	67%	51%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	299
#9	A+	Lennox JR High 08	Lennox	Lennox School District 41-4	67%	45%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	189
#10	A+	Custer JR High 05	Custer	Custer School District 16-1	66%	41%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	101
#11	A+	Sully Buttes Middle School 06	Onida	Agar-Blunt-Onida School District 58-3	66%	42%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	54
#12	A	Kadoka Middle School 03	Kadoka	Kadoka Area School District 35-2	65%	32%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	50
#13	A	Brandon Valley Middle School 02	Brandon	Brandon Valley School District 49-2	64%	52%	Exceeds Expectations	729
#14	A	Southwest Middle School 38	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	64%	59%	Meets Expectations	660
#15	A	Hanson Middle School 02	Alexandria	Hanson School District 30-1	62%	42%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	87
#16	A	Harrisburg North Middle School 08	Sioux Falls	Harrisburg School District 41-2	62%	61%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	747
#17	A	Ethan JR High 03	Ethan	Ethan School District 17-1	61%	44%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	44
#18	A	Howard JR High 05	Howard	Howard School District 48-3	61%	32%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	79
#19	A	Arlington JR High 03	Arlington	Arlington School District 38-1	60%	54%	Meets Expectations	38
#20	A	Gettysburg Middle School 03	Gettysburg	Gettysburg School District 53-1	60%	41%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	48
#21	A	Harding County Middle School 03	Buffalo	Harding County School District 31-1	59%	45%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	60
#22	A-	Patrick Henry Middle School 07	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	59%	52%	Meets Expectations	940
#23	A-	Dakota Valley Middle School 03	North Sioux City	Dakota Valley School District 61-8	58%	55%	Meets Expectations	342
#24	A-	Harrisburg South Middle School 03	Harrisburg	Harrisburg School District 41-2	58%	55%	Meets Expectations	667
#25	A-	Memorial Middle School 04	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	58%	49%	Exceeds Expectations	1,168
#26	A-	Freeman JR High 05	Freeman	Freeman School District 33-1	57%	32%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	60
#27	A-	Jones County Middle School 04	Murdo	Jones County School District 37-3	57%	38%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	54
#28	A-	Northwestern Middle School 02	Mellette	Northwestern Area School District 56-7	57%	45%	Exceeds Expectations	59
#29	A-	Faulkton Middle School 08	Faulkton	Faulkton Area Schools 24-4	56%	41%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	57
#30	A-	Miller JR High 04	Miller	Miller 29-4	56%	42%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	61
#31	A-	Platte Geddes JR High 03	Platte	Platte - Geddes School District 11-5	56%	42%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	109
#32	A-	Webster Area Middle School 02	Webster	Webster Area 18-5	55%	46%	Exceeds Expectations	125
#33	B+	Baltic Middle School 03	Baltic	Baltic School District 49-1	55%	49%	Meets Expectations	129
#34	B+	De Smet Middle School 03	De Smet	De Smet School District 38-2	55%	41%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	82
#35	B+	Irene Wakonda JR High 04	Irene	Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3	55%	37%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	49
#36	B+	Marion Middle School 03	Marion	Marion School District 60-3	55%	35%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	48
#37	B+	Newell Middle School 04	Newell	Newell School District 09-2	55%	31%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	62
#38	B+	Tea Area Middle School 02	Tea	Tea Area School District 41-5	55%	52%	Meets Expectations	563
#39	B+	Georgia Morse Middle School 02	Pierre	Pierre School District 32-2	54%	47%	Meets Expectations	684
#40	B+	Highmore JR High 03	Highmore	Highmore-Harrold 34-2	54%	41%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	35
#41	B+	Lemmon JR High 06	Lemmon	Lemmon School District 52-4	54%	39%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	56
#42	B+	Bridgewater Emery Middle School 04	Emery	Bridgewater-Emery 30-3	53%	45%	Exceeds Expectations	71
#43	B+	Groton Area Middle School 04	Groton	Groton Area School District 06-6	53%	43%	Exceeds Expectations	127
#44	B+	Milbank Middle School 02	Milbank	Milbank School District 25-4	53%	44%	Exceeds Expectations	229
#45	B	Clear Lake Middle School 04	Clear Lake	Deuel School District 19-4	53%	38%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	125
#46	B	Chester Middle School 03	Chester	Chester Area School District 39-1	52%	45%	Meets Expectations	75
#47	B	Mitchell Middle School 02	Mitchell	Mitchell School District 17-2	52%	41%	Exceeds Expectations	616
#48	B	Vermillion Middle School 02	Vermillion	Vermillion School District 13-1	52%	37%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	321
#49	B	Canton Middle School 04	Canton	Canton School District 41-1	51%	52%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	203
#50	B	Corsica Stickney JR High 03	Corsica	Corsica-Stickney 21-3	51%	40%	Exceeds Expectations	42
#51	B	Elk Point Jefferson Middle School 03	Elk Point	Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7	51%	45%	Meets Expectations	153
#52	B	Philip JR High 03	Philip	Haakon School District 27-1	51%	40%	Exceeds Expectations	49
#53	B	Watertown Middle School 02	Watertown	Watertown School District 14-4	51%	47%	Meets Expectations	600
#54	B	Yankton Middle School 02	Yankton	Yankton School District 63-3	51%	34%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	606
#55	B-	Timber Lake Middle School 03	Timber Lake	Timber Lake School District 20-3	51%	36%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	81
#56	B-	Ben Reifel Middle School 68	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	50%	43%	Exceeds Expectations	1,010
#57	B-	Bon Homme Middle School 02	Tyndall	Bon Homme School District 04-2	50%	40%	Exceeds Expectations	110
#58	B-	Sioux Valley Middle School 04	Volga	Sioux Valley School District 05-5	50%	40%	Exceeds Expectations	161
#59	B-	Spearfish Middle School 05	Spearfish	Spearfish School District 40-2	50%	43%	Meets Expectations	600
#60	B-	Centerville Middle School 03	Centerville	Centerville School District 60-1	49%	34%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	74
#61	B-	Deubrook JR High 02	White	Deubrook Area School District 05-6	49%	48%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	56
#62	B-	Hamlin Middle School 02	Hayti	Hamlin School District 28-3	49%	44%	Meets Expectations	186
#63	B-	Holgate Middle School 02	Aberdeen	Aberdeen School District 06-1	49%	40%	Exceeds Expectations	512
#64	B-	Kimball Middle School 04	Kimball	Kimball School District 07-2	49%	44%	Meets Expectations	96
#65	B-	Madison Middle School 02	Madison	Madison Central School District 39-2	49%	42%	Meets Expectations	257
#66	C+	Parkston Middle School 05	Parkston	Parkston School District 33-3	48%	43%	Meets Expectations	102
#67	C+	Mobridge Middle School 02	Mobridge	Mobridge-Pollock 62-6	47%	33%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	127
#68	C+	Sanborn Central Middle School 02	Forestburg	Sanborn Central School District 55-5	47%	46%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	30
#69	C+	Stagebarn Middle School 10	Summerset	Meade School District 46-1	47%	55%	Underperforms Expectations	457
#70	C+	Burke Middle School 04	Burke	Burke School District 26-2	46%	34%	Exceeds Expectations	73
#71	C+	Tri Valley Intermediate School 03	Colton	Tri-Valley School District 49-6	46%	44%	Meets Expectations	317
#72	C+	Armour Middle School 03	Armour	Armour School District 21-1	45%	47%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	49
#73	C+	Avon Middle School 05	Avon	Avon School District 04-1	45%	43%	Meets Expectations	64
#74	C+	Hill City Middle School 04	Hill City	Hill City School District 51-2	45%	36%	Exceeds Expectations	120
#75	C+	Viborg Hurley Middle School 03	Hurley	Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6	45%	47%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	125
#76	C+	Edison Middle School 06	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	44%	45%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	916
#77	C+	Stanley County Middle School 02	Fort Pierre	Stanley County School District 57-1	44%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	86
#78	C	Garretson Middle School 03	Garretson	Garretson School District 49-4	44%	39%	Meets Expectations	89
#79	C	Langford Area Middle School 03	Langford	Langford Area 45-5	44%	39%	Meets Expectations	42
#80	C	Chamberlain JR High 02	Chamberlain	Chamberlain School District 07-1	43%	29%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	182
#81	C	Huron Middle School 02	Huron	Huron School District 02-2	43%	28%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	695
#82	C	Lyman Middle School 02	Presho	Lyman School District 42-1	43%	30%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	83
#83	C	Sturgis Williams Middle School 02	Sturgis	Meade School District 46-1	43%	42%	Meets Expectations	489
#84	C	Wall Middle School 06	Wall	Wall School District 51-5	43%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	68
#85	C	West Central Middle School 04	Hartford	West Central School District 49-7	43%	50%	Underperforms Expectations	303
#86	C	West Middle School 37	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	43%	45%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	612
#87	C	Belle Fourche Middle School 07	Belle Fourche	Belle Fourche School District 09-1	42%	38%	Meets Expectations	401
#88	C	George S Mickelson Middle School 02	Brookings	Brookings School District 05-1	42%	48%	Underperforms Expectations	751
#89	C-	Hot Springs Middle School 06	Hot Springs	Hot Springs School District 23-2	42%	39%	Meets Expectations	187
#90	C-	Beresford Middle School 03	Beresford	Beresford School District 61-2	41%	40%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	174
#91	C-	New Underwood JR High 04	New Underwood	New Underwood School District 51-3	41%	34%	Meets Expectations	68
#92	C-	Simmons Middle School 03	Aberdeen	Aberdeen School District 06-1	41%	33%	Exceeds Expectations	483
#93	C-	Britton Hecla Middle School 03	Britton	Britton-Hecla School District 45-4	40%	43%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	104
#94	C-	Canistota Middle School 03	Canistota	Canistota School District 43-1	40%	37%	Meets Expectations	60
#95	C-	Colome Middle School 03	Colome	Colome Consolidated 59-3	40%	26%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	30
#96	C-	Menno Middle School 05	Menno	Menno School District 33-2	40%	42%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	65
#97	C-	Redfield Middle School 02	Redfield	Redfield School District 56-4	39%	34%	Meets Expectations	114
#98	D+	East Middle School 30	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	38%	37%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	600
#99	D+	Lead Deadwood Middle School 02	Lead	Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1	38%	37%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	159
#100	D+	Willow Lake Middle School 03	Willow Lake	Willow Lake School District 12-3	38%	38%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	58
#101	D+	Alcester Hudson JR High 03	Alcester	Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1	37%	39%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	53
#102	D+	Plankinton JR High 03	Plankinton	Plankinton School District 01-1	36%	29%	Exceeds Expectations	51
#103	D+	Waverly South Shore Middle School 03	Waverly	Waverly School District 14-5	36%	42%	Underperforms Expectations	57
#104	D+	Douglas Middle School 01	Box Elder	Douglas School District 51-1	35%	40%	Underperforms Expectations	670
#105	D+	Gregory Junior High 04	Gregory	Gregory School District 26-4	35%	33%	Meets Expectations	77
#106	D+	Scotland Middle School 05	Scotland	Scotland School District 04-3	35%	35%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	82
#107	D+	Castlewood Middle School 03	Castlewood	Castlewood School District 28-1	34%	42%	Underperforms Expectations	75
#108	D+	Mccook Central Middle School 03	Salem	McCook Central School District 43-7	34%	44%	Underperforms Expectations	96
#109	D	Estelline Middle School 03	Estelline	Estelline School District 28-2	34%	40%	Underperforms Expectations	62
#110	D	Rosholt Middle School 04	Rosholt	Rosholt School District 54-4	34%	43%	Underperforms Expectations	55
#111	D	Parker JR High 03	Parker	Parker School District 60-4	32%	38%	Underperforms Expectations	72
#112	D	George Mcgovern Middle School 09	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	31%	28%	Meets Expectations	719
#113	D	Winner Middle School 02	Winner	Winner School District 59-2	31%	32%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	160
#114	D	Clark Middle School 03	Clark	Clark School District 12-2	30%	38%	Underperforms Expectations	87
#115	D	Flandreau Middle School 03	Flandreau	Flandreau School District 50-3	30%	32%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	186
#116	D	Gayville Volin Middle School 03	Gayville	Gayville-Volin School District 63-1	30%	36%	Underperforms Expectations	63
#117	D	Mcintosh Middle School 03	Mcintosh	McIntosh School District 15-1	30%	21%	Exceeds Expectations	37
#118	D	Wagner Middle School 03	Wagner	Wagner Community School District 11-4	30%	24%	Meets Expectations	264
#119	D	Waubay Middle School 03	Waubay	Waubay School District 18-3	30%	23%	Meets Expectations	32
#120	D-	Sisseton Middle School 02	Sisseton	Sisseton School District 54-2	30%	23%	Meets Expectations	288
#121	D-	Iroquois Middle School 02	Iroquois	Iroquois School District 02-3	29%	31%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	49
#122	D-	South Middle School 36	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	29%	30%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	553
#123	D-	Wolsey Wessington Middle School 03	Wolsey	Wolsey Wessington School District 02-6	29%	32%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	83
#124	D-	Edmunds Central Middle School 02	Roscoe	Edmunds Central School District 22-5	25%	40%	Underperforms Expectations	37
#125	D-	White Lake Middle School 03	White Lake	White Lake School District 01-3	24%	28%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	30
#126	D-	Whittier Middle School 08	Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	24%	24%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	704
#127	D-	Wakpala Middle School 04	Wakpala	Smee School District 15-3	22%	15%	Meets Expectations	37
#128	D-	Wilmot Middle School 03	Wilmot	Wilmot School District 54-7	22%	29%	Underperforms Expectations	34
#129	D-	Wessington Springs JR High 04	Wessington Springs	Wessington Springs School District 36-2	21%	35%	Underperforms Expectations	42
#130	F	Colman Egan JR High 02	Colman	Colman-Egan School District 50-5	20%	39%	Underperforms Expectations	47
#131	F	Elkton JR High 03	Elkton	Elkton School District 05-3	20%	35%	Underperforms Expectations	73
#132	F	Bennett County Middle School 06	Martin	Bennett County School District 03-1	19%	15%	Meets Expectations	111
#133	F	Florence Middle School 03	Florence	Florence School District 14-1	19%	43%	Underperforms Expectations	71
#134	F	North Middle School 35	Rapid City	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	19%	20%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	513
#135	F	White River Middle School 04	White River	White River School District 47-1	19%	11%	Exceeds Expectations	90
#136	F	Henry Middle School 03	Henry	Henry School District 14-2	18%	43%	Underperforms Expectations	45
#137	F	Dupree JR High 04	Dupree	Dupree School District 64-2	13%	12%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	50
#138	F	Andes Central Middle School 04	Lake Andes	Andes Central School District 11-1	12%	22%	Underperforms Expectations	62
#139	F	Mclaughlin Middle School 03	Mclaughlin	McLaughlin School District 15-2	12%	9%	Meets Expectations	74
#140	F	Todd County Middle School 10	Mission	Todd County School District 66-1	10%	10%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	368

How South Dakota's middle schools compare

A: 32B: 33C: 32D: 32F: 11

46% of the 140 ranked middle schools in South Dakota earn an A or B (32 A grades, 33 B, 32 C, 32 D, 11 F), against 46% of middle schools nationwide. 92 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (66% here, 70% nationally), and 58 exceed it. On average 45% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 39% (national averages: 45% actual, 38% projected).

The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Herreid Middle School 03 (73% against 33%, A+), Lake Preston Middle School 03 (70% against 37%, A+), Selby Middle School 03 (68% against 35%, A+), Kadoka Middle School 03 (65% against 32%, A), Howard JR High 05 (61% against 32%, A).

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

Cities with the most ranked middle schools: Sioux Falls (7, 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-, #25), Ben Reifel Middle School 68 (1,010 students, B-, #56), Patrick Henry Middle School 07 (940 students, A-, #22).

Middle schools in South Dakota that are not ranked

21 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.

F Axtell Park Middle School 47, Sioux Falls

Fully online schools (1)

Statewide virtual schools draw students from everywhere, so a place ranking is not a fair comparison.

D- Wessington Springs Middle School Cyber School 93, Wessington Springs

Very small schools (12)

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

A Big Stone City Middle School 03, Big Stone City
B Bison JR High 04, Bison
C Bowdle JR High 03, Bowdle
D Doland JR High 02, Doland
B- Eureka JR High 03, Eureka
C- Faith JR High 06, Faith
A Frederick JR High 03, Frederick
C- Hitchcock Tulare JR High School 02, Tulare
A+ Hoven JR High 03, Hoven
C- Leola JR High 03, Leola
F 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.

Brandon Valley Distance Learning Academy Middle School 93, Brandon
Dakota Reach Middle School - 07, Plankinton
Eagle Butte JR High 06, Eagle Butte
Oldham-ramona Jr. High - 03, Ramona
Premier Learning Academy Middle School - 93, Langford
Rutland Jr. High - 03, Rutland
Todd County Achievement Middle School 18, Mission

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?

Herreid Middle School 03 in Herreid ranks first among the 140 ranked middle schools in South Dakota with a SchoolGrade of A+, 73% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 33%.

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 161 public middle schools in South Dakota; 140 are ranked here and 21 are listed as not ranked.