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Bowdle Junior High - 03

Q: Is Bowdle Junior High - 03 a good school?

Bowdle Junior High - 03 ranks 158 th of 246 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

158^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 246 South Dakota Middle Schools

Better than 36% of South Dakota middle schools

Summary

Bowdle Junior High - 03 is a small public middle school in Bowdle, South Dakota, serving grades 6-8 with just 21 students. The school is part of the Bowdle School District 22-1, which is ranked 113 out of 147 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Bowdle Junior High - 03 has struggled compared to the state and its nearby peers. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 55% of its students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, and just 30% were proficient in mathematics, well below the state averages. The school's performance is particularly weak in 8th grade, where only 25% of students were proficient in ELA and 12.5% in math. In contrast, the nearby Selby Middle School and Hoven Junior High have significantly higher proficiency rates.

Additionally, Bowdle Junior High - 03 has grappled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 4.7% to 24.7% over the past few years. This is a concerning trend, as chronic absenteeism can have a significant impact on student learning and achievement. The nearby schools have also struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates. To address these challenges, the school and district may need to closely examine their practices, seek out best practices from higher-performing schools in the region, and develop targeted interventions to support all students in reaching their full potential.

Students ?

7.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,405

Per pupil spending ?

70%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3083 2nd Ave
Bowdle, SD 57428

(605) 285-6590

District: Bowdle School District 22-1

Students who attend Bowdle Junior High - 03 usually attend:

High:

Bowdle High School - 01

Feeder schools for Bowdle Junior High - 03:

Elementary:

Bowdle Elementary - 02

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.0%

Asian:

5.0%

Hispanic:

5.0%

See top rated South Dakota middle schools

Compare Bowdle Junior High - 03 to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 19th percentile in 2008 → 36th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 17 percentile points since 2008

✓Small classes — about 8 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Dakota average (35% vs 47% meeting standards)

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

!Science scores 43 pts below the South Dakota average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school35%

District avg44%

South Dakota avg47%

158^th of 246

South Dakota public middle schools ?

Bottom 36%▲ up 11 pts since 2019

From bottom 25% (2019) to bottom 36% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of South Dakota Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

113^th of 147Bowdle School District 22-1 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
2025	43.5	158 of 246	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	31.2	112 of 149	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	9.5	139 of 146	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	39.1	110 of 136	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	9.8	37 of 39	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	31.5	82 of 117	29.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	39.6	154 of 229	32.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	20.1	99 of 117	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	47.0	98 of 187	47.6%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	48.2	127 of 233	45.5%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	40.8	79 of 115	31.3%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	50.9	70 of 181	61.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	45.0	140 of 230	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	22.8	115 of 136	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆

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)61st percentile+26 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)48th percentile+12 vs school

Male (2025)45th percentile+10 vs school

White (2025)39th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)33rd percentile-3 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)31st percentile-4 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)30th percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2025)15th percentile-20 vs school

Asian (2025)5th percentile-31 vs school

By subject vs South Dakota (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts55%+4 vs state

Mathematics30%-13 vs state

Science0%-43 vs state

★

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Schools Near Bowdle Junior High - 03

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Science (2025)	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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Bowdle Junior High - 03	Public	6-8	3083 2nd Ave	Bowdle	57428	Edmunds County	Bowdle School District 22-1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 285-6590	20	3	7.5	70.0%	17 (85.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.0%)	1 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.0%)	43.5	158^th of 246 public middle schools	35.8%					(n/a)	83.3	66.7	25.0	55.0	33.3	50.0	12.5	30.0	0.0	$20,405	$2,264	$18,141
Edmunds Central Middle School - 02	Public	6-8	105 1st Ave	Roscoe	57471	Edmunds County	Edmunds Central School District 22-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 287-4251	28	3	10.6	39.3%	23 (82.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30.7	187^th of 246 public middle schools	24.0%		11.5	136^th of 147 public middle schools	7.5%	51	25.0	50.0	37.5	35.7	16.7	12.5	12.5	14.3	37.5	$21,088	$49	$21,039
Hoven Junior High - 03	Public	7-8	98 5th Ave W	Hoven	57450	Potter County	Hoven School District 53-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 948-2252	14	1	9.7	28.6%	13 (92.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	81.4	17^th of 246 public middle schools	93.1%		96.2	1^st of 147 public middle schools	99.3%	16		62.5	85.7	73.3		62.5	57.2	60.0	57.2	$19,914	$679	$19,236
Selby Middle School - 03	Public	6-8	108 E Dakota St	Selby	57472	Walworth County	Selby Area School District 62-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 649-7818	40	4	9.8	25.0%	37 (92.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.5%)	2 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	76.7	31^st of 246 public middle schools	87.4%		58.8	57^th of 147 public middle schools	61.2%	26	63.6	68.4	90.0	72.5	45.5	42.1	70.0	50.0	80.0	$15,324	$357	$14,967

Frequently Asked Questions about Bowdle Junior High - 03

What is the racial makeup of Bowdle Junior High - 03?

Students at Bowdle Junior High - 03 are 85% White, 5% Asian, 5% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Bowdle Junior High - 03 attend?

Students who attend Bowdle Junior High - 03 usually go on to attend Bowdle High School - 01

Is Bowdle Junior High - 03 a good school?

Bowdle Junior High - 03 ranks 158^th of 246 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Bowdle Junior High - 03?

In the 2024-25 school year, 20 students attended Bowdle Junior High - 03.

What district is Bowdle Junior High - 03 in?

Bowdle School District 22-1

Rate Bowdle Junior High - 03!

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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.