Top Rankings
Sioux Falls School District 49-5 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 16 public middle schools serving 5,681 students in Sioux Falls School District 49-5. This district's average middle testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in South Dakota.
Public Middle Schools in Sioux Falls School District 49-5 have an average math proficiency score of 36% (versus the South Dakota public middle school average of 39%), and reading proficiency score of 46% (versus the 49% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 43% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is more than the South Dakota public middle school average of 42% (majority American Indian).
Overview
This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
48 Schools
297 Schools
# Students
25,367 Students
40,141 Students
# Teachers
1,691 Teachers
2,999 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
District Rank
Sioux Falls School District 49-5, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 146 school districts in South Dakota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 85% has increased from 84% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#99 out of 148 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)

Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
40%
42%

Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
48%
51%

Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
42%
42%

Graduation Rate
85%
82%

Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.64
0.59
# American Indian Students
1,231 Students
10,455 Students
% American Indian Students
5%
26%
# Asian Students
624 Students
519 Students
% Asian Students
2%
1%
# Hispanic Students
3,962 Students
2,703 Students
% Hispanic Students
16%
7%
# Black Students
3,342 Students
1,024 Students
% Black Students
13%
3%
# White Students
14,235 Students
23,358 Students
% White Students
56%
58%
# Hawaiian Students
35 Students
46 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
1,938 Students
2,036 Students
% of Two or more races Students
8%
5%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
870
174
# Students in K Grade:
1,961
896
# Students in 1st Grade:
1,962
903
# Students in 2nd Grade:
1,968
918
# Students in 3rd Grade:
1,789
750
# Students in 4th Grade:
1,863
793
# Students in 5th Grade:
1,822
1,598
# Students in 6th Grade:
1,823
9,664
# Students in 7th Grade:
1,849
11,058
# Students in 8th Grade:
1,905
11,237
# Students in 9th Grade:
2,152
674
# Students in 10th Grade:
1,977
578
# Students in 11th Grade:
1,752
481
# Students in 12th Grade:
1,674
417
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,241 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,121. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,988 is higher than the state median of $12,623. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$311 MM
$1,916 MM

Spending
$330 MM
$1,844 MM

Revenue / Student
$12,241
$13,121

Spending / Student
$12,988
$12,623

Best Sioux Falls School District 49-5 Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Patrick Henry Middle School - 07
(Math: 54% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
2200 S 5th Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 367-7639
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 367-7639
Grades: 6-8
| 953 students
Rank: #22.
Memorial Middle School - 04
(Math: 50% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1401 S Sertoma Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57106
(605) 362-2785
Sioux Falls, SD 57106
(605) 362-2785
Grades: 6-8
| 1,138 students
Rank: #33.
Summit Oaks-residential - 48
Special Education School
(Math: <50% | Reading: ≥50% )
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
621 E Presentation Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Grades: K-12
| 19 students
Rank: #4 - 74. - 7.
Flex - 45
Special Education School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
201 N West Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Grades: 6-12
| 45 students
Rank: #4 - 74. - 7.
Structured Teaching - 12
Special Education School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
201 N West Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Grades: 6-12
| 23 students
Rank: #4 - 74. - 7.
Success - 39
Special Education School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
201 N West Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Grades: 6-12
| 21 students
Rank: #4 - 74. - 7.
Summit Oaks-day - 40
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
621 E Presentation Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Grades: K-12
| 22 students
Rank: #88.
Edison Middle School - 06
(Math: 40% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2101 S West Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 367-7643
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 367-7643
Grades: 6-8
| 943 students
Rank: #99.
Virtual - 90
(Math: 21-39% | Reading: 40-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
201 E 38th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 543-5273
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 543-5273
Grades: 3-8
| 52 students
Rank: #1010.
Ben Reifel Middle School - 68
(Math: 32% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
6700 E 41st St
Sioux Falls, SD 57110
(605) 371-4155
Sioux Falls, SD 57110
(605) 371-4155
Grades: 6-8
| 959 students
Rank: #1111.
Axtell Park Middle School - 47
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
201 N West Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-4266
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-4266
Grades: 6-8
| 30 students
Rank: #1212.
George Mcgovern Middle School -09
(Math: 15% | Reading: 24%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
6221 W Maple St
Sioux Falls, SD 57107
(605) 367-4440
Sioux Falls, SD 57107
(605) 367-4440
Grades: 6-8
| 747 students
Rank: #1313.
Whittier Middle School - 08
(Math: 12% | Reading: 21%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
930 E 6th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57103
(605) 367-7620
Sioux Falls, SD 57103
(605) 367-7620
Grades: 6-8
| 716 students
Rank: n/an/a
Arise Shelter Care - 71
Alternative School
621 E Presentation St
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Grades: K-12
| 4 students
Rank: n/an/a
Avera Adolescent Addiction Care Program - 81
Alternative School
4400 W 69th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Grades: 6-12
| 1 students
Rank: n/an/a
Avera Behavioral Health Program - 82
Alternative School
4400 W 69th St
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605) 367-7647
Grades: K-12
| 8 students
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