Tripp-Delmont Junior High - 02

Tripp-Delmont Junior High - 02 is a small public middle school in Tripp, South Dakota, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 20 students. The school faces several challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates, below-average academic performance, and disparities in student group outcomes.

Tripp-Delmont Junior High - 02 has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 17.6% to 33.3% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state average of around 20%. Academically, the school's performance, as measured by Smarter Balanced Assessments, is generally below the state and district averages. For example, in 2024-2025, only 38.89% of all students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 50.93% statewide, and the proficiency rate in Mathematics was just 27.78%, compared to 43.49% statewide. The school also has particularly low rankings for certain student subgroups, such as female students (ranked 179 out of 229 SD middle schools), white students (ranked 168 out of 230), and special education students (ranked 148 out of 181).

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Menno Middle School, Wagner Middle School, and Bon Homme Middle School, Tripp-Delmont Junior High - 02 generally performs worse on academic measures and has higher chronic absenteeism rates. The school's high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which has increased from 42.86% in 2021-2022 to 65% in 2023-2024, suggests that socioeconomic factors may be playing a significant role in its performance. Additionally, the relatively high spending per student at Tripp-Delmont Junior High - 02, ranging from $13,555 to $16,828 over the past few years, raises questions about how the resources are being allocated and whether they are being used effectively to support student learning.