Is Hill City Middle School - 04 a good school?

Hill City Middle School - 04 ranks 76 th of 147 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Hill City Middle School - 04?

In the 2023-24 school year, 118 students attended Hill City Middle School - 04.

What is the racial makeup of Hill City Middle School - 04?

Students at Hill City Middle School - 04 are 71% White, 19% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% American Indian.

What high school do graduates of Hill City Middle School - 04 attend?

Students who attend Hill City Middle School - 04 usually go on to attend Hill City High School - 01

Hill City Middle School - 04

Summary:

Hill City Middle School - 04 is a public middle school serving 120 students in grades 6-8 in Hill City, South Dakota, which is part of the Hill City School District 51-2.

The school consistently performs above the state average in English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency, with 61.82% of students proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 50.04%. However, the school's mathematics performance is below the state average, with only 30.91% of students proficient or better. Notably, the school's low socioeconomic status (SES) students have performed exceptionally well, ranking 14th out of 65 South Dakota middle schools in ELA in 2023-2024. Compared to nearby schools, Hill City Middle School - 04 outperforms the West Middle School - 37 and Southwest Middle School - 38 (both part of the Rapid City Area School District 51-4) in ELA and mathematics proficiency, but the nearby Custer Junior High - 05 (part of the Custer School District 16-1) has a higher percentage of students proficient or better in both ELA and mathematics.

However, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 11.4% in 2022-2023 to 17.5% in 2023-2024, which is a concerning trend that the school and district should investigate and address. Overall, Hill City Middle School - 04 is a strong-performing school, particularly in ELA and for its low-SES and female student populations, but the school's mathematics performance and rising chronic absenteeism rates are areas that warrant further attention and improvement.

Detail:

Public 6-8

341 Main St
Hill City, SD 57745

(605) 574-3025

District: Hill City School District 51-2

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,116

Students who attend Hill City Middle School - 04 usually attend:

High:

Hill City High School - 01

Feeder schools for Hill City Middle School - 04:

Elementary:

Hill City Elementary - 02

Student/teacher ratio: 19.3

Number of students: 118

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.2%

Hispanic:

19.5%

Two or more races:

5.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 38.1%

See top rated South Dakota middle schools

Compare Hill City Middle School - 04 to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hill City Middle School - 04 ranks worse than 51.7% of middle schools in South Dakota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 51.18. (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 (71.2%), Hispanic (19.5%), two or more races (5.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 38.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hill City Middle School - 04 is 19.3. (See more...)

Compare Hill City Middle School - 04 employs 6.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hill City Middle School - 04 is $11,116.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hill City Middle School - 04:

SchoolDigger ranks Hill City Middle School - 04 76^th of 147 South Dakota public middle schools. (See Hill City Middle School - 04 in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Hill City School District 51-2:

SchoolDigger ranks Hill City School District 51-2 49^th of 126 South Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Hill City Middle School - 04

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Rank History for all students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2003	35.63	108^th	133	18.8%
2004	48.62	92^nd	134	31.3%
2005	34.11	114^th	136	16.2%
2006	39.56	113^th	141	19.9%
2007	31.81	117^th	136	14.0%
2008	30.23	121^st	136	11.0%
2009	43.70	102^nd	139	26.6%
2010	40.63	110^th	139	20.9%
2011	53.16	82^nd	140	41.4%
2012	59.77	61^st	146	58.2%
2013	61.35	62^nd	145	57.2%
2015	67.92	36^th	145	75.2%
2016	50.93	70^th	147	52.4%
2017	52.83	78^th	146	46.6%
2018	50.44	78^th	147	46.9%
2019	69.04	41^st	149	72.5%
2021	74.51	19^th	145	86.9%
2022	72.52	28^th	143	80.4%
2023	58.38	58^th	150	61.3%
2024	51.18	76^th	147	48.3%

See the entire list of South Dakota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	43.10	45^th	71	36.6%
2019	66.08	18^th	79	77.2%
2023	63.37	18^th	70	74.3%
2024	63.28	14^th	65	78.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	51.44	54^th	99	45.5%
2019	54.37	53^rd	107	50.5%
2021	73.13	17^th	113	85.0%
2022	72.61	17^th	102	83.3%
2023	65.29	31^st	112	72.3%
2024	50.40	59^th	107	44.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	43.99	72^nd	111	35.1%
2019	72.49	25^th	110	77.3%
2021	71.91	19^th	115	83.5%
2022	65.16	32^nd	104	69.2%
2023	51.05	55^th	116	52.6%
2024	48.87	60^th	115	47.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	51.00	60^th	131	54.2%
2019	71.31	27^th	136	80.1%
2021	73.89	17^th	136	87.5%
2022	68.81	32^nd	132	75.8%
2023	57.96	46^th	136	66.2%
2024	49.64	70^th	132	47.0%

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 Hill City Middle School - 04

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	126	126
1990	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	135	135
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	133	133
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	133	133
1993	120	0	1	5	4	n/a	n/a	0	130
1994	133	0	0	3	11	n/a	n/a	0	147
1995	123	0	0	2	11	n/a	n/a	0	136
1996	123	0	0	2	11	n/a	n/a	0	136
1997	122	0	0	3	11	n/a	n/a	0	136
1998	137	1	1	4	14	n/a	n/a	0	157
1999	132	1	1	10	15	n/a	n/a	0	159
2000	153	1	0	17	14	n/a	n/a	0	185
2001	146	0	0	20	9	n/a	n/a	0	175
2002	111	0	0	16	6	n/a	n/a	0	133
2003	111	0	0	16	6	n/a	n/a	0	133
2004	103	1	0	15	5	n/a	n/a	0	124
2005	98	2	0	12	5	n/a	n/a	0	117
2006	92	2	0	16	3	n/a	n/a	0	113
2007	84	2	0	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	100
2008	89	1	n/a	14	7	n/a	n/a	0	111
2009	91	2	0	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	110
2010	84	2	0	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	100
2011	86	1	1	19	5	0	0	0	112
2012	87	1	1	17	4	0	0	0	110
2013	96	1	1	18	2	0	1	0	119
2014	98	1	1	15	5	0	0	0	120
2015	93	3	0	16	10	0	0	0	122
2016	87	1	0	20	8	0	0	0	116
2017	94	1	0	22	10	0	0	0	127
2018	104	0	0	18	3	0	1	0	126
2019	95	0	0	16	5	0	2	0	118
2020	84	0	1	17	4	0	5	0	111
2021	75	0	1	20	6	0	8	0	110
2022	92	1	2	20	2	0	6	0	123
2023	82	0	2	26	4	0	6	0	120
2024	84	0	1	23	4	0	6	0	118

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 Hill City Middle School - 04

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	126	8.1	15.5	n/a
1990	135	6.5	20.7	n/a
1991	133	8.5	15.6	n/a
1992	133	8.5	15.6	n/a
1993	130	7.2	18.1	n/a
1994	147	7.6	19.3	n/a
1995	136	8.3	16.4	n/a
1996	136	8.3	16.4	n/a
1997	136	8.0	17.0	24.3
1998	157	10.0	15.7	39.5
1999	159	10.4	15.3	42.8
2000	185	11.6	15.9	38.9
2001	175	11.3	15.5	44
2002	133	9.3	14.3	57.9
2003	133	9.3	14.3	57.9
2004	124	9.2	13.5	37.1
2005	117	9.2	12.7	33.3
2006	113	9.3	12.2	33.6
2007	100	8.3	12.0	36
2008	111	8.3	13.4	40.5
2009	110	8.0	13.8	38.2
2010	100	8.5	11.7	41
2011	112	7.9	14.1	34.8
2012	110	8.0	13.6	40.9
2013	119	7.1	16.5	37.8
2014	120	7.5	15.8	35
2015	122	7.0	17.4	2.5
2016	116	8.0	14.5	45.7
2017	127	8.0	15.6	42.5
2018	126	8.1	15.5	32.5
2019	118	5.1	23.1	30.5
2020	111	5.5	19.8	30.6
2021	110	5.6	19.6	28.2
2022	123	5.5	22.2	8.1
2023	120	6.4	18.6	30
2024	118	6.1	19.3	38.1

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 Hill City Middle School - 04

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	126	8.1	15.5	n/a
1990	135	6.5	20.7	n/a
1991	133	8.5	15.6	n/a
1992	133	8.5	15.6	n/a
1993	130	7.2	18.1	n/a
1994	147	7.6	19.3	n/a
1995	136	8.3	16.4	n/a
1996	136	8.3	16.4	n/a
1997	136	8.0	17.0	24.3
1998	157	10.0	15.7	39.5
1999	159	10.4	15.3	42.8
2000	185	11.6	15.9	38.9
2001	175	11.3	15.5	44
2002	133	9.3	14.3	57.9
2003	133	9.3	14.3	57.9
2004	124	9.2	13.5	37.1
2005	117	9.2	12.7	33.3
2006	113	9.3	12.2	33.6
2007	100	8.3	12.0	36
2008	111	8.3	13.4	40.5
2009	110	8.0	13.8	38.2
2010	100	8.5	11.7	41
2011	112	7.9	14.1	34.8
2012	110	8.0	13.6	40.9
2013	119	7.1	16.5	37.8
2014	120	7.5	15.8	35
2015	122	7.0	17.4	2.5
2016	116	8.0	14.5	45.7
2017	127	8.0	15.6	42.5
2018	126	8.1	15.5	32.5
2019	118	5.1	23.1	30.5
2020	111	5.5	19.8	30.6
2021	110	5.6	19.6	28.2
2022	123	5.5	22.2	8.1
2023	120	6.4	18.6	30
2024	118	6.1	19.3	38.1

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 Hill City Middle School - 04

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$124 (1.3%)	$9,427 (98.7%)	$9,550
2021	$501 (5.0%)	$9,615 (95.0%)	$10,116
2022	$943 (9.6%)	$8,855 (90.4%)	$9,798
2023	$1,067 (9.6%)	$10,049 (90.4%)	$11,116

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hill City Middle School - 04

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 41^st of 149 Middle schools	Ranks 58^th of 150 Middle schools	11.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Hill City Middle School - 04)	63.2	35.1	28%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Hill City School District 51-2)	61.5	35.1	26.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	50.8	44.6	6.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Hill City Middle School - 04)	55.3	24.3	31%
6th Grade Mathematics (Hill City School District 51-2)	53.9	24.3	29.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	41.3	39.1	2.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Hill City Middle School - 04)	65.8	65.1	0.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Hill City School District 51-2)	65.8	65.1	0.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	54.1	50.7	3.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Hill City Middle School - 04)	47.4	53.5	6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Hill City School District 51-2)	47.4	53.5	6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	45.6	41.2	4.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Hill City Middle School - 04)	63.2	71.1	7.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Hill City School District 51-2)	63.2	71.1	7.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	52.1	48.8	3.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hill City Middle School - 04)	39.5	23.7	15.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hill City School District 51-2)	39.5	23.7	15.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	43.8	37.5	6.3%
8th Grade Science (Hill City Middle School - 04)	55.3	52.6	2.6%
8th Grade Science (Hill City School District 51-2)	55.3	52.6	2.6%
8th Grade Science (South Dakota)	41.2	38.1	3.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Hill City Middle School - 04)	64	57.6	6.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Hill City School District 51-2)	64.9	56.2	8.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (South Dakota)	53.2	49.7	3.5%
All Grades Mathematics (Hill City Middle School - 04)	47.4	34.8	12.6%
All Grades Mathematics (Hill City School District 51-2)	54	37.8	16.1%
All Grades Mathematics (South Dakota)	44.9	41.9	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	118	120	1.7%
African American	0	0
American Indian	5	4	20%
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	16	26	62.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	95	82	13.7%
Two or More Races	2	6	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	30.5%	30%	0.5%

Schools Near Hill City Middle School - 04

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 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 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hill City Middle School - 04	Public	6-8	341 Main St	Hill City	57745	Pennington County	Hill City School District 51-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 574-3025	118	6	19.3	38.1%	84 (71.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (19.5%)	1 (0.8%)	4 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.1%)	51.2	76^th of 147 public middle schools	48.3%		58.4	58^th of 150 public middle schools	61.3%	18	56.7	60.5	66.7	61.8	36.7	23.7	33.3	30.9	38.1	$11,116	$1,067	$10,049
Custer Junior High - 05	Public	7-8	1645 Wildcat Ln	Custer	57730	Custer County	Custer School District 16-1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 673-4473	103	7	13.8	18.4%	89 (86.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.9%)	66.1	36^th of 147 public middle schools	75.5%		52	74^th of 150 public middle schools	50.7%	38		72.6	44.4	58.1		68.6	33.3	50.5	50.0	$12,152	$553	$11,599
Southwest Middle School - 38	Public	6-8	4501 Park Dr	Rapid City	57702	Pennington County	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 394-6792	665	37	17.9	11.1%	509 (76.5%)	5 (0.8%)	44 (6.6%)	13 (2.0%)	39 (5.9%)	3 (0.5%)	52 (7.8%)	89.2	6^th of 147 public middle schools	95.9%		88.3	5^th of 150 public middle schools	96.7%	1	64.2	66.4	75.6	68.7	63.3	64.1	62.9	63.4	67.1	$9,912	$659	$9,253
West Middle School - 37	Public	6-8	1003 Soo San Dr	Rapid City	57702	Pennington County	Rapid City Area School District 51-4	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 394-4033	603	36	16.8	18.9%	424 (70.3%)	7 (1.2%)	59 (9.8%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (6.8%)	1 (0.2%)	70 (11.6%)	46.4	86^th of 147 public middle schools	41.5%		55.8	64^th of 150 public middle schools	57.3%	22	38.6	46.2	49.3	44.6	29.7	41.3	47.2	39.3	48.2	$10,524	$685	$9,840
Hermosa Middle School - 07	Public	7-8	11 4th St	Hermosa	57744	Custer County	Custer School District 16-1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(605) 255-4345	54	5	10.2	33.3%	44 (81.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (7.4%)								(n/a)		51.9	53.9	52.8		44.4	26.9	35.9	42.3

Hill City Middle School - 04

Hill City Middle School - 04:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hill City School District 51-2:

What do you think?

Rank History for Hill City Middle School - 04

Rank History for all students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Rank History for Female students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Rank History for Male students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Rank History for White students at Hill City Middle School - 04

Enrollment information for Hill City Middle School - 04

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Hill City Middle School - 04

Student/Teacher Ratio Hill City Middle School - 04

Per Pupil Expenditures for Hill City Middle School - 04

Impact of COVID-19 on Hill City Middle School - 04

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Hill City Middle School - 04