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Public middle school · Harding County School District 31-1 · Buffalo, South Dakota

Harding County Middle School - 03

Harding County Middle School - 03 rates 7.7, right at the middle of Harding County School District 31-1's middle schools, whose rated median is 7.7.

Middle schools, 1 to 10This campus against public middle schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
7.7this school

7.7 on a one-to-ten scale; the Harding County School District 31-1 median is 7.7.

#118 of 586 schools in South Dakota · Harding County School District 31-1: 1 middle schools rated, median 7.7

The brief

A Harding County School District 31-1 middle school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 118 of 586 schools in South Dakota and 2 of 3 in Harding County School District 31-1.

Harding County Middle School - 03 is listed in Harding County School District 31-1, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math57%14 points above the South Dakota average of 43%2025 SBAC
Reading60%9 points above the South Dakota average of 51%2025 SBAC
Proficiency has held near 58% across the 2-year record (2024–2025).2025 SBAC; 42 test records from SD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
8.8
40% of the rating
Academics
8.2
35% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.2
25% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 52% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 60% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SBAC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SBAC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 57720; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Harding County Middle School - 03 on the map, with no other middle schools nearby to pin.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$78,333
Median home value
$128,800
Median rent
$579/mo
College educated
29%
Homeownership
80.7%
Poverty rate
8.4%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 57720; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
24
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
33
Somewhat Bikeable

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
31%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Harding County Middle School - 03 serve?

Harding County Middle School - 03 serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Harding County Middle School - 03?

Harding County Middle School - 03 has an enrollment of approximately 58 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Harding County Middle School - 03?

The student-teacher ratio at Harding County Middle School - 03 is 19.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Harding County Middle School - 03 rank in SD?

Harding County Middle School - 03 ranks #118 of 586 schools in SD.

What is Harding County Middle School - 03's MySchoolScout rating?

Harding County Middle School - 03 has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Harding County Middle School - 03?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Harding County Middle School - 03 has 52% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Harding County Middle School - 03 a charter school?

No, Harding County Middle School - 03 is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Harding County Middle School - 03 a Title I school?

No, Harding County Middle School - 03 is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Harding County Middle School - 03?

31.0% of students at Harding County Middle School - 03 qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
58
Student-teacher ratio
19.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
3
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Remote Rural
County
Harding County
Rank in district
#2 of 3
Schools in district
3
District spending per student
$17,112
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 57720)
561
Area median age
53

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, South Dakota Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.