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De Smet Middle School - 03

Q: Is De Smet Middle School - 03 a good school?

De Smet Middle School - 03 ranks 44 th of 246 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

44^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 246 South Dakota Middle Schools

Better than 82% of South Dakota middle schools

Summary

De Smet Middle School - 03 is a public middle school serving 86 students in grades 6-8 in De Smet, South Dakota. The school is part of the De Smet School District 38-2, which is ranked 55 out of 147 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

De Smet Middle School - 03 has shown strong academic performance, particularly in English Language Arts (ELA). In the 2024-2025 school year, 67.78% of students were proficient or better in ELA, significantly higher than the state average of 50.93% and the district average of 61.98%. The school's mathematics performance was also above the state average, with 52.22% of students proficient or better. The school has also made progress in reducing chronic absenteeism, from 20.8% in 2023-2024 to 12.0% in 2024-2025, though this is still higher than the state average.

When compared to nearby schools, De Smet Middle School - 03 outperforms Pearl Creek Colony Elementary - 05 and Iroquois Middle School - 02 in both ELA and mathematics proficiency. However, the nearby Lake Preston Middle School - 03 has consistently higher academic performance, ranking 9th out of 246 South Dakota middle schools in 2024-2025. De Smet Middle School - 03's performance has also fluctuated over the years, with the school ranking as high as 19th out of 149 South Dakota middle schools in 2018-2019 and as low as 119th out of 143 schools in 2021-2022.

Students ?

16.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,660

Per pupil spending ?

25.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

405 3rd St SW
De Smet, SD 57231

(605) 854-3423

District: De Smet School District 38-2

Students who attend De Smet Middle School - 03 usually attend:

High:

De Smet High School - 01

Feeder schools for De Smet Middle School - 03:

Elementary:

Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary - 02

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.1%

Hispanic:

5.5%

African American:

2.2%

See top rated South Dakota middle schools

Compare De Smet Middle School - 03 to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 66th percentile in 2015 → 82nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the South Dakota average (58% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 18% of South Dakota middle schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 16 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school58%

District avg56%

South Dakota avg47%

44^th of 246

South Dakota public middle schools ?

Top 18%▲ up 17 pts since 2015

From top 34% (2015) to top 18% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of South Dakota Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

55^th of 147De Smet School District 38-2 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	72.9	44 of 246	82.1%	★★★★☆
2024	41.8	95 of 147	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.1	99 of 150	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	25.1	119 of 143	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	31.1	115 of 145	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	77.5	19 of 149	87.2%	★★★★☆
2018	68.2	38 of 147	74.1%	★★★★☆
2017	28.5	117 of 146	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	40.8	105 of 147	28.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	59.1	50 of 145	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	33.6	123 of 145	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	64.8	51 of 146	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2011	58.3	69 of 140	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2010	64.2	53 of 139	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2009	57.8	65 of 139	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2008	60.5	59 of 136	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2007	48.6	98 of 136	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	41.9	107 of 141	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	69.8	31 of 136	77.2%	★★★★☆
2004	68.0	29 of 134	78.4%	★★★★☆
2003	71.3	20 of 133	85.0%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	63.2	18 of 117	84.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	57.2	95 of 229	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	25.4	90 of 107	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	37.0	77 of 112	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	27.0	81 of 102	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.7	95 of 113	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	71.2	16 of 117	86.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	67.0	36 of 187	80.7%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	81.9	16 of 233	93.1%	★★★★★
2024	57.7	44 of 115	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	38.4	80 of 116	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.6	91 of 104	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	29.3	91 of 115	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	81.0	11 of 110	90.0%	★★★★★
2018	62.6	36 of 111	67.6%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	46.3	83 of 181	54.1%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	67.8	57 of 230	75.2%	★★★★☆
2024	37.2	97 of 132	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.4	106 of 136	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.4	121 of 132	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	21.6	120 of 136	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	73.6	22 of 136	83.8%	★★★★☆
2018	57.1	52 of 131	60.3%	★★★☆☆

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)

Male (2025)93rd percentile+11 vs school

Hispanic (2025)86th percentile+4 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)85th percentile+3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)81st percentile~ school

White (2025)75th percentile-7 vs school

Female (2025)59th percentile-24 vs school

Special Education (2025)54th percentile-28 vs school

By subject vs South Dakota (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts68%+17 vs state

Mathematics52%+9 vs state

Science44%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near De Smet Middle School - 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 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 5th Grade	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 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	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 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Science 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
De Smet Middle School - 03	Public	6-8	405 3rd St SW	De Smet	57231	Kingsbury County	De Smet School District 38-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 854-3423	91	6	16.3	25.3%	82 (90.1%)	2 (2.2%)	5 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)	72.9	44^th of 246 public middle schools	82.1%		41.8	95^th of 147 public middle schools	35.4%	51			75.0	76.7	53.1	67.8			67.9	46.7	43.8	52.2		43.8		$12,660	$68	$12,592
Lake Preston Middle School - 03	Public	6-8	300 1st St NE	Lake Preston	57249	Kingsbury County	Lake Preston School District 38-3	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 847-4455	33	4	8.4	39.4%	29 (87.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.1%)	86.4	9^th of 246 public middle schools	96.3%		89	7^th of 147 public middle schools	95.2%	2			72.7	69.2	80.0	73.5			63.6	61.5	80.0	67.7		70.0		$20,050	$07	$20,044
Iroquois Middle School - 02	Public	6-8	111 E Washita St	Iroquois	57353	Kingsbury County	Iroquois School District 02-3	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 546-2426	48	5	10.3	37.5%	38 (79.2%)	1 (2.1%)	7 (14.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.2%)	31.6	184^th of 246 public middle schools	25.2%		10.2	139^th of 147 public middle schools	5.4%	45			26.1	33.3	53.8	35.4			8.7	8.3	30.8	14.6		38.5		$12,377	$494	$11,884
Willow Lake Middle School - 03	Public	6-8	400 Garfield Ave	Willow Lake	57278	Clark County	Willow Lake School District 12-3	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 625-5945	54	3	20.6	38.9%	53 (98.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51.3	128^th of 246 public middle schools	48.0%		65.2	40^th of 147 public middle schools	72.8%	88			31.3	42.9	50.0	41.5			50.0	42.9	50.0	47.2		25.0		$9,590	$102	$9,489
Pearl Creek Colony Elementary - 05	Public	4-8	21085 415th Ave	Iroquois	57353	Beadle County	Iroquois School District 02-3	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 546-2210	13	1	13.0		13 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41.8	163^rd of 246 public middle schools	33.7%					(n/a)	25.0	33.3		66.7	33.3	38.5	0.0	0.0		33.3	33.3	15.4	0.0	0.0	0.0	$13,745	$493	$13,252

Frequently Asked Questions about De Smet Middle School - 03

What is the racial makeup of De Smet Middle School - 03?

Students at De Smet Middle School - 03 are 90% White, 5% Hispanic, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of De Smet Middle School - 03 attend?

Students who attend De Smet Middle School - 03 usually go on to attend De Smet High School - 01

What district is De Smet Middle School - 03 in?

De Smet School District 38-2

How many students attend De Smet Middle School - 03?

In the 2024-25 school year, 91 students attended De Smet Middle School - 03.

Is De Smet Middle School - 03 a good school?

De Smet Middle School - 03 ranks 44^th of 246 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate De Smet Middle School - 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.