Rapid City Area School District 51-4

625 9th St Ste 208
Rapid City, SD 57701
(District boundaries shown in map)
3/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Rapid City Area School District 51-4 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 7 public middle schools serving 2,959 students in Rapid City Area School District 51-4. This district's average middle testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in South Dakota.
Public Middle Schools in Rapid City Area School District 51-4 have an average math proficiency score of 37% (versus the South Dakota public middle school average of 39%), and reading proficiency score of 46% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 43% of the student body (majority American Indian), which is more than the South Dakota public middle school average of 42% (majority American Indian).

Overview

This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
25 Schools
295 Schools
# Students
12,313 Students
39,834 Students
# Teachers
768 Teachers
2,950 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Rapid City Area School District 51-4, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 146 school districts in South Dakota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 71% has decreased from 75% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#109 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
37%
42%
46%
51%
38%
42%
71%
82%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.61
0.59
% American Indian
17%
26%
% Asian
1%
1%
% Hispanic
11%
7%
% Black
1%
3%
% White
58%
58%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
12%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,819 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,047. The school district revenue/student has grown by 17% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,825 is less than the state median of $12,552. The school district spending/student has grown by 14% over four school years.
This School District
This State (SD)
Total Revenue
$158 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$146 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,819
$13,047
Spending / Student
$11,825
$12,552

Best Rapid City Area School District 51-4 Public Middle Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Southwest Middle School - 38
(Math: 59% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
4501 Park Dr
Rapid City, SD 57702
(605) 394-6792
Gr: 6-8 | 614 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #22.
West Middle School - 37
(Math: 41% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1003 Soo San Dr
Rapid City, SD 57702
(605) 394-4033
Gr: 6-8 | 591 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 29%
Rank: #33.
East Middle School - 30
(Math: 35% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
4860 Homestead St
Rapid City, SD 57703
(605) 394-4092
Gr: 6-8 | 613 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 37%
Rank: #44.
South Middle School - 36
(Math: 24% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
2 Indiana St
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-4024
Gr: 6-8 | 618 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 55%
Rank: #55.
North Middle School - 35
(Math: 15% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1501 N Maple St
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-4042
Gr: 6-8 | 418 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 79%
Rank: n/an/a
Jefferson Building - 64
Special Education School
21 St Joseph St
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-1813
Gr: PK-12 | 98 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Minority enrollment: 51%
Rank: n/an/a
Wellfully - 65
Alternative School
22 Waterloo St
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-4048
Gr: 1-12 | 7 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Minority enrollment: 57%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 25 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 12,313 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 42%
  • : 71% (Top 30% in SD)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 37% (Btm 50%)
  • : 46% (Btm 50%)
  • : 38% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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