Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Q: Is Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 a good school?

Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 ranks 72 nd of 147 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 is a public middle school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serving 1,010 students in grades 6-8. The school's academic performance has been mixed, with strengths in certain subject areas and student subgroups, but overall room for improvement to reach the levels of the top-performing schools in the region.

While the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (51.1%) were slightly above the state average, its Mathematics proficiency (40.04%) fell below both the state and district averages. However, the school's 8th-grade Science proficiency rate (45.1%) was higher than the state and district averages. The school's performance varied across different student subgroups, with Ben Reifel Middle School - 68's White and Hispanic students performing relatively well, but its African American, Multi-racial, English Language Learner, and Special Education students performing below average compared to their peers in the state. The school has also seen a decrease in chronic absenteeism, from 23.0% in 2022-2023 to 17.8% in 2023-2024, but it is still higher than the state average.

Compared to nearby schools, Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 generally performs better than the lower-performing Axtell Park Middle School - 47, but lags behind the higher-performing Patrick Henry Middle School - 07 and the nearby Harrisburg and Brandon Valley middle schools in academic achievement. The school's relatively high chronic absenteeism rate and socioeconomic challenges may be contributing factors to its academic performance, and addressing these issues could be a priority for the school and the Sioux Falls School District 49-5.

Detail:

Public 6-8

6700 E 41st St
Sioux Falls, SD 57110

(605) 371-4155

District: Sioux Falls School District 49-5

SchoolDigger Rank:
72^nd of 147 South Dakota Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,835

Students who attend Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 usually attend:

High:

Washington High School - 01

Feeder schools for Ben Reifel Middle School - 68:

Elementary:	Cleveland Elementary - 14
	Harvey Dunn Elementary - 54
	Rosa Parks Elementary - 15

Student/teacher ratio: 14.0

Number of students: 959

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.7%

African American:

15.2%

Hispanic:

11.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.9%

See top rated South Dakota middle schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 ranks better than 51% of middle schools in South Dakota. It also ranks 3^rd among 6 ranked middle schools in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.2. (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 (59.7%), African American (15.2%), Hispanic (11.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 39.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 is 14. 3 middle schools in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 employs 68.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 is $10,835. 4 middle schools in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ben Reifel Middle School - 68:

SchoolDigger ranks Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 72^nd of 147 South Dakota public middle schools. (See Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Sioux Falls School District 49-5:

SchoolDigger ranks Sioux Falls School District 49-5 72^nd of 126 South Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

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Rank History for all students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	45.62	89^th	150	40.7%
2024	52.20	72^nd	147	51.0%

See the entire list of South Dakota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	26.02	19^th	21	9.5%
2024	37.65	14^th	22	36.4%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	38.26	4^th	6	33.3%
2024	26.94	6^th	7	14.3%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	25.15	23^rd	27	14.8%
2024	16.73	28^th	29	3.4%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	41.98	43^rd	70	38.6%
2024	48.69	34^th	65	47.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	47.60	65^th	112	42.0%
2024	52.21	55^th	107	48.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	40.03	77^th	116	33.6%
2024	49.90	58^th	115	49.6%

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

Rank History for African American students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	34.51	6^th	9	33.3%
2024	40.93	4^th	8	50.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	33.77	18^th	24	25.0%
2024	56.68	6^th	26	76.9%

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

Rank History for Native American students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	61.33	4^th	27	85.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	64.62	38^th	136	72.1%
2024	65.08	35^th	132	73.5%

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 Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2022	585	160	25	108	39	1	84	1002
2023	591	153	24	109	40	1	92	1010
2024	573	146	17	112	30	0	81	959

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 Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	1002	63.7	15.7	38.9
2023	1010	68.2	14.8	35.9
2024	959	68.4	14.0	39.9

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 Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	1002	63.7	15.7	38.9
2023	1010	68.2	14.8	35.9
2024	959	68.4	14.0	39.9

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 Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2022	$964 (9.6%)	$9,096 (90.4%)	$10,060
2023	$1,135 (10.5%)	$9,700 (89.5%)	$10,835

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

Schools Near Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ben Reifel Middle School - 68	Public	6-8	6700 E 41st St	Sioux Falls	57110	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 371-4155	959	68	14.0	39.9%	573 (59.7%)	146 (15.2%)	112 (11.7%)	17 (1.8%)	30 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	81 (8.4%)	52.2	72^nd of 147 public middle schools	51.0%		45.6	89^th of 150 public middle schools	40.7%	17		52.1	50.2	51.0	51.1		42.8	39.9	37.7	40.0		45.1	$10,835	$1,135	$9,700
Harrisburg East Middle School - 11	Public	6-8	3001 E Bison Trail	Sioux Falls	57108	Lincoln County	Harrisburg School District 41-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(605) 743-2567	413	32	12.8	8.5%	343 (83.1%)	21 (5.1%)	18 (4.4%)	11 (2.7%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.9%)								(n/a)		57.8	58.4	51.9	56.2		46.7	43.6	38.9	43.1		43.5
Patrick Henry Middle School - 07	Public	6-8	2200 S 5th Ave	Sioux Falls	57105	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-7639	953	59	16.1	30.1%	673 (70.6%)	58 (6.1%)	74 (7.8%)	22 (2.3%)	50 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	76 (8.0%)	72.6	29^th of 147 public middle schools	80.3%		80.3	13^th of 150 public middle schools	91.3%	16		56.0	56.3	58.8	57.0		52.0	54.6	53.6	53.4		52.6	$10,747	$1,086	$9,661
Teachwell Academy Middle School - 04	Public	6-8	824 E 14th St	Sioux Falls	57104	Minnehaha County	East Dakota Educational Cooperative	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-7680	0	2	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Whittier Middle School - 08	Public	6-8	930 E 6th St	Sioux Falls	57103	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-7620	716	55	12.9	71.6%	173 (24.2%)	188 (26.3%)	199 (27.8%)	42 (5.9%)	57 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (8.0%)	11.1	137^th of 147 public middle schools	6.8%		6.2	144^th of 150 public middle schools	4.0%	7		25.8	31.2	28.0	28.4		14.6	13.9	21.0	16.7		26.9	$12,041	$1,417	$10,624
Brandon Valley Intermediate - 07	Public	5-6	201 W Park St	Brandon	57005	Minnehaha County	Brandon Valley School District 49-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 582-6035	785	46	16.8	12.6%	645 (82.2%)	27 (3.4%)	48 (6.1%)	12 (1.5%)	9 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (5.6%)								(n/a)	73.6	76.6			75.1	64.4	70.6			67.5	68.5		$9,590	$389	$9,201
Edison Middle School - 06	Public	6-8	2101 S West Ave	Sioux Falls	57105	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-7643	943	62	15.3	36.4%	556 (59.0%)	105 (11.1%)	158 (16.8%)	6 (0.6%)	41 (4.3%)	1 (0.1%)	76 (8.1%)	46.9	84^th of 147 public middle schools	42.9%		55.4	66^th of 150 public middle schools	56.0%	18		50.6	43.8	46.4	46.9		40.8	42.6	40.1	41.2		39.8	$10,895	$1,127	$9,768
Axtell Park Middle School - 47	Public	6-8	201 N West Ave	Sioux Falls	57104	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-4266	30	10	2.8	63.3%	13 (43.3%)	3 (10.0%)	5 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (20.0%)								(n/a)													$28,628	$738	$27,890
Brandon Valley Middle School - 02	Public	7-8	700 Holly Blvd	Brandon	57005	Minnehaha County	Brandon Valley School District 49-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 582-3214	719	43	16.6	12.5%	615 (85.5%)	27 (3.8%)	27 (3.8%)	7 (1.0%)	8 (1.1%)	3 (0.4%)	32 (4.5%)	87.1	10^th of 147 public middle schools	93.2%		86.9	8^th of 150 public middle schools	94.7%	2			71.3	68.8	70.0			56.3	63.0	59.7		58.2	$9,153	$419	$8,734
Harrisburg North Middle School - 08	Public	6-8	2201 W 95th St	Sioux Falls	57108	Lincoln County	Harrisburg School District 41-2	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 743-2567	523	44	12.0	8.8%	416 (79.5%)	24 (4.6%)	29 (5.5%)	17 (3.3%)	12 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.8%)	67.4	35^th of 147 public middle schools	76.2%		71.8	31^st of 150 public middle schools	79.3%	4		63.4	60.3	51.9	58.8		55.7	51.2	48.8	52.0		36.4	$10,700	$408	$10,293

Frequently Asked Questions about Ben Reifel Middle School - 68

What district is Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 in?

Sioux Falls School District 49-5

What high school do graduates of Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 attend?

Students who attend Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 usually go on to attend Washington High School - 01

How many students attend Ben Reifel Middle School - 68?

In the 2023-24 school year, 959 students attended Ben Reifel Middle School - 68.

Is Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 a good school?

Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 ranks 72^nd of 147 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Ben Reifel Middle School - 68?

Students at Ben Reifel Middle School - 68 are 60% White, 15% African American, 12% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 3% American Indian, 2% Asian.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Dakota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.