Summary
Kadoka Middle School - 03 serves 51 students in grades 6–8 in Kadoka, South Dakota. Its 2025–26 results are above state and district averages in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, and eighth-grade science, and above those of the one nearby school included in the comparison, Philip Junior High - 03. The clearest takeaway is that Kadoka’s strong results extend across subjects, with especially large advantages in mathematics.
Mathematics is Kadoka’s strongest result relative to its comparison groups: 78% of students met the standard, versus 57% in the Kadoka Area School District 35-2 and 44% statewide; Kadoka led Philip by 37 points. In ELA, Kadoka scored 76%, compared with 56% in its district, 49% statewide, and 44% at Philip. Eighth-grade science was the relative weak spot, but still above each comparison: 60% at Kadoka versus 53% in the district, 41% statewide, and 35% at Philip. Sixth-grade math is also worth watching: Kadoka’s 69% was 1 point below its district, while seventh- and eighth-grade math were above the district. Chronic absenteeism is a counterpoint to the test results: Kadoka’s 23% rate in 2025–26 was above the district’s 21% and the state’s 20%, though down from 35% in 2023–24.
Scores have fluctuated year to year, but Kadoka’s lead over the state widened overall from 2022–23 to 2025–26: by 7 points in ELA, 19 points in math, and 16 points in eighth-grade science. Science has eased from its 2023–24 high of 72% to 60%. SchoolDigger ranked Kadoka #2 of 151 South Dakota schools in 2025–26, at the 99th percentile with 5 stars. One subgroup result stands out: SchoolDigger’s 2024–25 statewide percentile for special education students was 65, 28 points below the school’s overall 93rd percentile, a notably lower measure of how well the school serves this group. In the same period, the female-student percentile rose from 37 to 90. In 2024–25, Kadoka’s student-teacher ratio was 18.2, compared with 18.8 at Philip; 49% of Kadoka students were free/reduced lunch eligible, versus 25% at Philip. These figures provide context, not explanations for score differences.
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