Is Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 a good school?

Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 ranks 94 th of 147 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Belle Fourche Middle School - 07?

In the 2023-24 school year, 405 students attended Belle Fourche Middle School - 07.

What is the racial makeup of Belle Fourche Middle School - 07?

Students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 are 83% White, 7% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% American Indian.

What high school do graduates of Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 attend?

Students who attend Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 usually go on to attend Belle Fourche High School - 01

Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Summary:

Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 is a public middle school serving 401 students in grades 5-8 in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, which is part of the Belle Fourche School District 09-1. While the school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking and rating over the years, there are some interesting insights to consider.

One concerning trend is the school's steady decline in its statewide ranking, dropping from 37th out of 145 middle schools in 2012-2013 to 94th out of 147 in 2023-2024. Its SchoolDigger rating has also declined from 3 stars to 2 stars during this time. In comparison, the nearby Spearfish Middle School - 05 has maintained a higher ranking at 68th out of 147 middle schools with a 3-star rating. Additionally, Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 generally performs below the state average in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency, while Spearfish Middle School - 05 outperforms the state in both subjects.

Another challenge for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 is its high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 17.6% to 22.5% over the past few years, compared to 16.3% at Spearfish Middle School - 05. However, the school's relatively stronger performance for Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) students, ranking 20th out of 65 middle schools in the state, is an interesting finding that could inform strategies for other underperforming subgroups. By addressing the identified challenges and learning from the successes of neighboring schools, Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 can work to improve its overall academic outcomes and provide a better educational experience for its students.

Detail:

Public 5-8

1302 Ziebach St
Belle Fourche, SD 57717

(605) 723-3367

District: Belle Fourche School District 09-1

SchoolDigger Rank:
94^th of 147 South Dakota Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,976

Students who attend Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 usually attend:

High:

Belle Fourche High School - 01

Feeder schools for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07:

Elementary:	North Park Elementary - 08
	South Park Elementary - 03

Student/teacher ratio: 12.4

Number of students: 405

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.5%

Hispanic:

7.2%

Two or more races:

5.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34.1%

See top rated South Dakota middle schools

Compare Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 ranks worse than 63.9% of middle schools in South Dakota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 43.01. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (83.5%), Hispanic (7.2%), two or more races (5.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 34.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 is 12.4. (See more...)

Compare Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 employs 32.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 is $10,976.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Belle Fourche Middle School - 07:

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 94^th of 147 South Dakota public middle schools. (See Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Belle Fourche School District 09-1:

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Fourche School District 09-1 102^nd of 126 South Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

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Rank History for all students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2003	33.32	110^th	133	17.3%
2004	26.53	119^th	134	11.2%
2005	39.75	109^th	136	19.9%
2006	40.47	112^th	141	20.6%
2007	29.71	118^th	136	13.2%
2008	33.93	117^th	136	14.0%
2009	34.14	118^th	139	15.1%
2010	43.71	103^rd	139	25.9%
2011	56.88	75^th	140	46.4%
2012	62.87	56^th	146	61.6%
2013	69.64	37^th	145	74.5%
2015	43.15	85^th	145	41.4%
2016	43.97	96^th	147	34.7%
2017	52.52	81^st	146	44.5%
2018	58.50	59^th	147	59.9%
2019	55.15	64^th	149	57.0%
2021	30.42	116^th	145	20.0%
2022	32.78	108^th	143	24.5%
2023	44.10	90^th	150	40.0%
2024	43.01	94^th	147	36.1%

See the entire list of South Dakota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	52.07	18^th	32	43.8%
2022	46.14	14^th	25	44.0%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	64.00	25^th	71	64.8%
2019	62.66	20^th	79	74.7%
2021	40.74	38^th	63	39.7%
2022	37.60	35^th	46	23.9%
2023	71.81	11^th	70	84.3%
2024	60.38	20^th	65	69.2%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	57.25	43^rd	99	56.6%
2019	61.04	36^th	107	66.4%
2021	33.12	89^th	113	21.2%
2022	26.38	83^rd	102	18.6%
2023	40.96	73^rd	112	34.8%
2024	41.08	76^th	107	29.0%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	55.85	47^th	111	57.7%
2019	46.87	62^nd	110	43.6%
2021	29.15	92^nd	115	20.0%
2022	38.74	72^nd	104	30.8%
2023	46.66	64^th	116	44.8%
2024	42.92	73^rd	115	36.5%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	50.77	61^st	131	53.4%
2019	49.50	68^th	136	50.0%
2021	25.06	113^th	136	16.9%
2022	27.28	107^th	132	18.9%
2023	37.85	92^nd	136	32.4%
2024	37.21	98^th	132	25.8%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Dakota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1999	216	1	2	4	4	n/a	n/a	227
2000	409	2	3	14	9	n/a	n/a	437
2001	413	0	3	11	14	n/a	n/a	441
2002	412	2	2	8	24	n/a	n/a	448
2003	412	2	2	8	24	n/a	n/a	448
2004	412	1	2	7	19	n/a	n/a	441
2005	386	1	2	8	20	n/a	n/a	417
2006	374	1	0	10	9	n/a	n/a	394
2007	350	3	0	8	11	n/a	n/a	372
2008	359	1	n/a	8	8	n/a	n/a	376
2009	363	1	0	12	12	n/a	n/a	388
2010	348	3	1	14	14	n/a	n/a	380
2011	356	1	0	24	9	0	12	402
2012	353	0	2	30	10	0	14	409
2013	342	1	3	25	7	0	12	390
2014	361	0	2	24	6	0	13	406
2015	345	0	2	23	6	0	12	388
2016	365	0	2	27	8	0	16	418
2017	388	0	0	29	5	0	22	444
2018	382	0	0	28	8	0	23	441
2019	379	0	0	29	5	0	24	437
2020	367	0	0	26	7	0	24	424
2021	338	1	0	29	11	0	18	397
2022	344	0	1	32	8	0	20	405
2023	347	0	0	25	9	1	19	401
2024	338	0	0	29	13	1	24	405

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	227	15.9	14.3	40.1
2000	437	30.7	14.2	42.3
2001	441	31.0	14.2	39.7
2002	448	29.3	15.3	44.2
2003	448	29.3	15.3	44.2
2004	441	30.3	14.6	45.4
2005	417	30.3	13.8	39.1
2006	394	29.3	13.4	42.1
2007	372	30.3	12.3	38.2
2008	376	28.8	13.1	36.7
2009	388	28.3	13.7	40.2
2010	380	29.5	12.8	43.9
2011	402	29.4	13.6	44
2012	409	28.3	14.4	43
2013	390	27.0	14.4	45.9
2014	406	32.6	12.4	51.5
2015	388	29.0	13.3	47.9
2016	418	29.0	14.4	53.3
2017	444	30.0	14.7	49.8
2018	441	30.0	14.7	46.3
2019	437	29.9	14.5	43.7
2020	424	29.8	14.2	42.7
2021	397	30.6	12.9	33.5
2022	405	34.7	11.6	24.4
2023	401	34.6	11.5	29.2
2024	405	32.6	12.4	34.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	227	15.9	14.3	40.1
2000	437	30.7	14.2	42.3
2001	441	31.0	14.2	39.7
2002	448	29.3	15.3	44.2
2003	448	29.3	15.3	44.2
2004	441	30.3	14.6	45.4
2005	417	30.3	13.8	39.1
2006	394	29.3	13.4	42.1
2007	372	30.3	12.3	38.2
2008	376	28.8	13.1	36.7
2009	388	28.3	13.7	40.2
2010	380	29.5	12.8	43.9
2011	402	29.4	13.6	44
2012	409	28.3	14.4	43
2013	390	27.0	14.4	45.9
2014	406	32.6	12.4	51.5
2015	388	29.0	13.3	47.9
2016	418	29.0	14.4	53.3
2017	444	30.0	14.7	49.8
2018	441	30.0	14.7	46.3
2019	437	29.9	14.5	43.7
2020	424	29.8	14.2	42.7
2021	397	30.6	12.9	33.5
2022	405	34.7	11.6	24.4
2023	401	34.6	11.5	29.2
2024	405	32.6	12.4	34.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$695 (7.9%)	$8,090 (92.1%)	$8,786
2021	$870 (9.1%)	$8,652 (90.9%)	$9,522
2022	$1,678 (16.1%)	$8,769 (83.9%)	$10,447
2023	$1,796 (16.4%)	$9,179 (83.6%)	$10,976

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 64^th of 149 Middle schools	Ranks 90^th of 150 Middle schools	17%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	58.2	51.5	6.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	57.5	51.5	6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	54.1	48.7	5.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	46.2	36.9	9.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	44.7	36.9	7.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	40.5	39.4	1.2%
5th Grade Science (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	52.8	45.2	7.6%
5th Grade Science (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	51.1	45.2	5.9%
5th Grade Science (South Dakota)	42.1	39.9	2.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	59.8	51.6	8.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	59.8	51.6	8.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	50.8	44.6	6.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	38.2	38.9	0.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	38.2	38.9	0.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	41.3	39.1	2.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	61.4	51.9	9.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	61.4	51.9	9.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	54.1	50.7	3.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	43.9	32.1	11.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	43.9	32.1	11.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	45.6	41.2	4.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	53.3	54.8	1.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	53.3	54.8	1.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	52.1	48.8	3.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	43.3	23.1	20.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	43.4	23.1	20.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	43.8	37.5	6.3%
8th Grade Science (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	43.3	30.8	12.6%
8th Grade Science (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	43.5	30.8	12.7%
8th Grade Science (South Dakota)	41.2	38.1	3.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	58.1	52.5	5.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	52.2	49.8	2.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (South Dakota)	53.2	49.7	3.5%
All Grades Mathematics (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	42.9	32.6	10.2%
All Grades Mathematics (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	43	36.6	6.5%
All Grades Mathematics (South Dakota)	44.9	41.9	3%
All Grades Science (Belle Fourche Middle School - 07)	47.4	38	9.4%
All Grades Science (Belle Fourche School District 09-1)	39.9	42.8	2.8%
All Grades Science (South Dakota)	40	42.6	2.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	437	401	8.2%
African American	0	0
American Indian	5	9	80%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	29	25	13.8%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	379	347	8.4%
Two or More Races	24	19	20.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	43.7%	29.2%	14.5%

Schools Near Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2024)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Science (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	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 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
Belle Fourche Middle School - 07	Public	5-8	1302 Ziebach St	Belle Fourche	57717	Butte County	Belle Fourche School District 09-1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 723-3367	405	33	12.4	34.1%	338 (83.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.2%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.9%)	43	94^th of 147 public middle schools	36.1%		44.1	90^th of 150 public middle schools	40.0%	4	48.5	45.3	47.9	56.7	49.4	35.6	39.6	27.1	37.8	35.1	47.5	36.7	42.4	$10,976	$1,796	$9,179
Spearfish Middle School - 05	Public	6-8	1600 N Canyon	Spearfish	57783	Lawrence County	Spearfish School District 40-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 717-1215	573	40	14.3	16.9%	501 (87.4%)	6 (1.0%)	27 (4.7%)	8 (1.4%)	10 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.5%)	53.9	68^th of 147 public middle schools	53.7%		58.5	56^th of 150 public middle schools	62.7%	12		48.6	49.2	52.1	50.0		47.4	47.2	45.8	46.8		34.9		$8,886	$459	$8,427
Spearfish Academy at Canyon Hills Elementary - 09	Public	4-8	2519 Windmill Dr	Spearfish	57783	Lawrence County	Spearfish School District 40-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 717-1229	7	3	2.5		3 (42.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (57.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)														$38,882	$9,948	$28,935
Black Hills Academy at Canyon Hills - 08	Public	4-8	2519 Windmill Dr	Spearfish	57783	Lawrence County	Black Hills Special Services Cooperative	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 347-4467	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Belle Fourche Middle School - 07:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Belle Fourche School District 09-1:

What do you think?

Rank History for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Rank History for all students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Rank History for Special Education students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Rank History for Female students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Rank History for Male students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Rank History for White students at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Enrollment information for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Student/Teacher Ratio Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Per Pupil Expenditures for Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Impact of COVID-19 on Belle Fourche Middle School - 07

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Belle Fourche Middle School - 07