Best Middle Schools in Aberdeen, SD

The city of Aberdeen, South Dakota is home to two middle schools: Holgate Middle School - 02 and Simmons Middle School - 03. These schools serve students in grades 6-8 within the Aberdeen School District 06-1.

Based on the available data, Holgate Middle School - 02 appears to be the standout performer among the two schools. Holgate has consistently ranked higher among South Dakota middle schools, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, while Simmons Middle School - 03 has a 2-star rating. Holgate also outperforms the Aberdeen School District and the state of South Dakota in terms of proficiency rates on Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics across all grade levels.

Both schools face similar challenges, such as a chronic absenteeism rate of 20.2% in the 2024-2025 school year. However, Simmons Middle School - 03 has a higher free and reduced lunch rate of 40.39% compared to Holgate Middle School - 02's 26.12%, which may be a factor in its lower academic performance. Despite Simmons having a slightly lower student-teacher ratio, Holgate's success suggests that factors beyond just student-teacher ratio, such as teaching quality, curriculum, and school leadership, may be more influential in driving student achievement.