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McCook Central Middle School - 03

Q: Is McCook Central Middle School - 03 a good school?

McCook Central Middle School - 03 ranks 110 th of 151 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

110^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 151 South Dakota Middle Schools

Better than 27% of South Dakota middle schools

Summary

McCook Central Middle School - 03 serves 84 students in grades 6–8 in Salem, South Dakota, where nearby comparison schools also serve middle grades. Its 2025–2026 English results were close to the state and district, but math was much weaker: 29% of students were proficient, compared with 44% statewide, 36% in the McCook Central School District 43-7, and a 47% average at the three nearby schools. McCook was below every nearby school in math, making math the school’s clearest academic concern.

English language arts is a relative strength: McCook’s 46% proficiency rate was close to the state’s 49% and slightly above its district’s 45%, though it ranked third among the four nearby schools. Grade 8 ELA was a bright spot at 50%, while grade 7 math was 38%, below all three nearby schools. In grade 8 science, McCook’s 37% was above its district’s 33%, but below the state’s 41% and the nearby-school average of 43%. Among the nearby schools, Bridgewater-Emery Middle School - 04, Canistota Middle School - 03 and Montrose Middle School - 03 all had stronger overall math results.

ELA has improved over time, rising 9 percentage points from 2022–2023 to 2025–2026 as its gap with the state narrowed from 13 points to 3. Math, by contrast, fell 2 points, and its gap with the state widened from 11 to 15 points. SchoolDigger placed McCook at the 27th statewide percentile with 1 star in 2025–2026, below the nearby schools’ 37th–81st percentiles. Its student-teacher ratio was 13.2, and 26% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible in 2024–2025, similar to nearby schools. SchoolDigger’s group effectiveness rankings also varied: Special Education Students ranked at the 65th percentile in 2024–2025, versus 33rd for the school overall that year; Female Students ranked at the 11th percentile in 2025–2026, down from 36th the year before and below the school’s overall 27th percentile.

Students ?

13.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,092

Per pupil spending ?

26.2%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

200 E Essex
Salem, SD 57058

(605) 425-2264

District: McCook Central School District 43-7

Students who attend McCook Central Middle School - 03 usually attend:

High:

McCook Central High School - 01

Feeder schools for McCook Central Middle School - 03:

Elementary:	Goldenview Colony School - 04
	McCook Central Elementary - 02

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.5%

Hispanic:

4.8%

Two or more races:

4.8%

See top rated South Dakota middle schools

Compare McCook Central Middle School - 03 to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 57th percentile in 2016 → 27th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Dakota average (37% vs 46% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 30 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school37%

District avg40%

South Dakota avg46%

110^th of 151

South Dakota public middle schools ?

Bottom 27%▼ down 30 pts since 2016

From top 43% (2016) to bottom 27% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Dakota Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

104^th of 126McCook Central School District 43-7 among South Dakota districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2026	34.0	110 of 151	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	41.2	166 of 246	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	20.7	125 of 147	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	39.4	95 of 150	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	52.7	70 of 143	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.9	35 of 145	75.9%	★★★★☆
2019	44.8	91 of 149	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.7	103 of 147	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	27.6	118 of 146	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	53.4	63 of 147	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2015	62.8	39 of 145	73.1%	★★★★☆
2013	63.0	55 of 145	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	57.9	71 of 146	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	61.6	60 of 140	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2010	53.3	81 of 139	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	65.1	45 of 139	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2008	65.1	40 of 136	70.6%	★★★★☆
2007	75.2	16 of 136	88.2%	★★★★☆
2006	63.6	49 of 141	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2005	62.8	51 of 136	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2004	57.5	70 of 134	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2003	56.5	60 of 133	54.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2026	16.4	102 of 115	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	43.5	146 of 229	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.0	83 of 107	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	64.1	32 of 102	68.6%	★★★★☆
2021	54.6	53 of 113	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	29.4	83 of 107	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	37.2	79 of 117	32.5%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	39.3	124 of 187	33.7%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2026	36.8	78 of 117	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.0	150 of 233	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	15.5	104 of 115	9.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.2	76 of 116	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.8	80 of 104	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	67.9	26 of 115	77.4%	★★★★☆
2019	50.2	55 of 110	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.9	50 of 111	55.0%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	37.4	84 of 115	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	51.6	64 of 181	64.6%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2026	21.6	120 of 133	9.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	36.4	171 of 230	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	15.8	124 of 132	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	31.8	101 of 136	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	42.4	82 of 132	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.0	58 of 136	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.0	95 of 136	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	26.7	107 of 131	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2025)65th percentile+32 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)34th percentile~ school

Male (2026)33rd percentile+6 vs school

Hispanic (2025)32nd percentile~ school

Multi-racial (2025)27th percentile-6 vs school

Female (2026)11th percentile-16 vs school

White (2026)10th percentile-17 vs school

By subject vs South Dakota (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts46%-3 vs state

Science37%-4 vs state

Mathematics29%-15 vs state

★

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Schools Near McCook Central Middle School - 03

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2026)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
McCook Central Middle School - 03	Public	6-8	200 E Essex	Salem	57058	McCook County	McCook Central School District 43-7	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 425-2264	84	6	13.2	26.2%	76 (90.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.8%)	34	110^th of 151 public middle schools	27.2%		41.2	166^th of 246 public middle schools	32.5%	56	44.8	41.7	50.0	45.8	31.0	37.5	20.0	28.9	36.7	$13,092	$51	$13,041
Canistota Middle School - 03	Public	6-8	431 4th Ave	Canistota	57012	McCook County	Canistota School District 43-1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 296-3458	68	4	17.1	26.5%	60 (88.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.4%)	1 (1.5%)	4 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43.2	95^th of 151 public middle schools	37.1%		47.3	142^nd of 246 public middle schools	42.3%	47	31.3	55.2	40.0	44.6	25.0	58.6	30.0	41.5	35.0	$12,552	$00	$12,552
Montrose Middle School - 03	Public	6-8	309 S Church Ave	Montrose	57048	McCook County	Montrose School District 43-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 363-5025	53	4	12.2	22.6%	49 (92.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	72.7	29^th of 151 public middle schools	80.8%		80.6	23^rd of 246 public middle schools	90.7%	6	57.9	56.3	76.9	62.5	36.8	56.3	84.6	56.3	53.8	$14,480	$132	$14,348
Bridgewater-Emery Middle School - 04	Public	6-8	130 N 6th St	Emery	57332	Hanson County	Bridgewater-Emery 30-3	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 449-4271	85	6	13.4	25.9%	77 (90.6%)	1 (1.2%)	3 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.7%)	54.3	73^rd of 151 public middle schools	51.7%		67.9	63^rd of 246 public middle schools	74.4%	10	42.9	60.6	44.8	50.6	61.9	57.6	17.2	44.6	41.4	$13,117	$112	$13,005

Frequently Asked Questions about McCook Central Middle School - 03

What high school do graduates of McCook Central Middle School - 03 attend?

Students who attend McCook Central Middle School - 03 usually go on to attend McCook Central High School - 01

Is McCook Central Middle School - 03 a good school?

McCook Central Middle School - 03 ranks 110^th of 151 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of McCook Central Middle School - 03?

Students at McCook Central Middle School - 03 are 90% White, 5% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

How many students attend McCook Central Middle School - 03?

In the 2024-25 school year, 84 students attended McCook Central Middle School - 03.

What district is McCook Central Middle School - 03 in?

McCook Central School District 43-7

Rate McCook Central Middle School - 03!

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Latest South Dakota data All new data »

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewNov 6, 2026

2025–26 SD ACT & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresNewNov 6, 2026

2024–25 attendance data & graduation rates (updated)NewNov 1, 2026

2025–26 immunization ratesOct 24, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Dakota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.