Watertown Middle School - 02

Summary:

Watertown Middle School - 02 is a public middle school serving grades 7-8 in Watertown, South Dakota, which is part of the Watertown School District 14-4. This high-performing school consistently ranks among the top 30-50 middle schools in South Dakota, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger in most recent years.

Watertown Middle School - 02 stands out for its exceptional academic performance, consistently outperforming the state and district averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics. The school also performs exceptionally well for certain student subgroups, ranking 2nd out of 31 South Dakota middle schools for Native American students and 2nd out of 29 for Special Education students in 2023-2024. While the school has seen an increase in chronic absenteeism over the past few years, it still performs better than the state average. Additionally, Watertown Middle School - 02 spends more per student ($9,359 in 2022-2023) compared to the state average, which likely contributes to its strong academic performance.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Henry Middle School - 03 and Waverly-South Shore Middle School - 03, Watertown Middle School - 02 significantly outperforms them in academic achievement, with much higher proficiency rates in ELA and Math. This is likely due to the larger size and greater resources of Watertown Middle School - 02. Overall, Watertown Middle School - 02 is a standout in the region, with its strong academic performance, effective strategies for supporting diverse learners, and adequate funding contributing to its success.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 1700 11th St NE
       Watertown, SD  57201


(605) 882-6370

District: Watertown School District 14-4

SchoolDigger Rank:
30th of 147 South Dakota Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,359 Help


Students who attend Watertown Middle School - 02 usually attend:

High:    Watertown High School - 01

Feeder schools for Watertown Middle School - 02:

Elementary:    Jefferson Elementary - 09
    Lincoln Elementary - 05
    McKinley Elementary - 06
    Mellette Elementary - 07
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  16.6 Help
Number of students:  600

Racial breakdown:

White:
85.0%
Hispanic:
7.0%
Two or more races:
4.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  26.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Watertown Middle School - 02 ranks better than 79.6% of middle schools in South Dakota. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.75. (See more...)
Help
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.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Watertown Middle School - 02 is $9,359.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Watertown Middle School - 02:

SchoolDigger ranks Watertown Middle School - 02 30th of 147 South Dakota public middle schools. (See Watertown Middle School - 02 in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
White students:


Watertown School District 14-4:

SchoolDigger ranks Watertown School District 14-4 56th of 126 South Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Watertown Middle School - 02

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Watertown Middle School - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 53.35 70th 133 47.4%
2004 54.06 82nd 134 38.8%
2005 59.84 59th 136 56.6%
2006 68.40 38th 141 73.0%
2007 71.16 25th 136 81.6%
2008 78.12 7th 136 94.9%
2009 73.12 20th 139 85.6%
2010 65.30 48th 139 65.5%
2011 71.78 24th 140 82.9%
2012 70.40 34th 146 76.7%
2013 72.09 27th 145 81.4%
2015 85.69 10th 145 93.1%
2016 80.60 14th 147 90.5%
2017 73.92 30th 146 79.5%
2018 63.47 48th 147 67.3%
2019 70.80 34th 149 77.2%
2021 65.92 34th 145 76.6%
2022 72.83 24th 143 83.2%
2023 71.77 32nd 150 78.7%
2024 69.75 30th 147 79.6%
See the entire list of South Dakota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Watertown Middle School - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 51.73 10th 18 44.4%
2022 64.07 5th 19 73.7%
2023 64.78 6th 21 71.4%
2024 22.74 18th 22 18.2%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Watertown Middle School - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.76 5th 32 84.4%
2022 57.82 8th 25 68.0%
2023 62.11 6th 27 77.8%
2024 76.60 2nd 29 93.1%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Watertown Middle School - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.46 22nd 71 69.0%
2019 60.72 23rd 79 70.9%
2021 55.04 23rd 63 63.5%
2022 67.93 9th 46 80.4%
2023 78.09 6th 70 91.4%
2024 58.11 23rd 65 64.6%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Watertown Middle School - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.45 34th 99 65.7%
2019 71.37 22nd 107 79.4%
2021 60.15 41st 113 63.7%
2022 69.62 23rd 102 77.5%
2023 62.65 40th 112 64.3%
2024 66.71 24th 107 77.6%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Watertown Middle School - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.38 41st 111 63.1%
2019 67.92 32nd 110 70.9%
2021 68.05 25th 115 78.3%
2022 71.28 20th 104 80.8%
2023 76.83 17th 116 85.3%
2024 69.96 26th 115 77.4%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Watertown Middle School - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 33.66 14th 21 33.3%
2021 39.41 13th 23 43.5%
2022 41.98 12th 19 36.8%
2023 63.13 7th 24 70.8%
2024 41.17 16th 26 38.5%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Watertown Middle School - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.87 4th 30 86.7%
2024 94.36 2nd 31 93.5%
See the entire list of Best South Dakota Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Watertown Middle School - 02

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.90 55th 131 58.0%
2019 68.36 33rd 136 75.7%
2021 64.36 36th 136 73.5%
2022 71.00 27th 132 79.5%
2023 68.52 31st 136 77.2%
2024 71.49 26th 132 80.3%
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.

Watertown Middle School - 02 Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Watertown Middle School - 02

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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 847 847
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 856 856
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 879 879
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 879 879
1993 939 1 7 2 10 n/a n/a 0 959
1994 684 2 4 4 13 n/a n/a 0 707
1995 712 5 3 1 9 n/a n/a 0 730
1996 712 5 3 1 9 n/a n/a 0 730
1997 695 4 5 0 12 n/a n/a 0 716
1998 693 4 1 1 12 n/a n/a 0 711
1999 687 3 5 1 14 n/a n/a 0 710
2000 623 2 7 6 17 n/a n/a 0 655
2001 596 1 4 8 16 n/a n/a 0 625
2002 590 0 7 9 13 n/a n/a 0 619
2003 590 0 7 9 13 n/a n/a 0 619
2004 601 2 5 7 20 n/a n/a 0 635
2005 595 2 3 8 32 n/a n/a 0 640
2006 586 0 5 9 28 n/a n/a 0 628
2007 528 0 5 11 17 n/a n/a 0 561
2008 532 1 6 11 11 n/a n/a 0 561
2009 539 4 6 15 26 n/a n/a 0 590
2010 511 6 6 14 20 n/a n/a 0 557
2011 521 4 9 11 10 1 3 0 559
2012 546 2 6 18 18 0 4 0 594
2013 548 2 4 18 22 0 3 0 597
2014 541 4 5 17 20 0 6 0 593
2015 524 4 1 17 23 0 8 0 577
2016 525 5 2 20 23 0 11 0 586
2017 557 4 5 18 32 0 8 0 624
2018 550 5 6 20 32 0 14 0 627
2019 539 7 8 28 20 0 15 0 617
2020 547 7 9 29 19 0 22 0 633
2021 540 4 7 22 23 1 33 0 630
2022 537 1 4 23 22 0 31 0 618
2023 510 2 1 42 19 0 26 0 600

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 Watertown Middle School - 02

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 847 47.5 17.8 n/a
1990 856 48.2 17.7 n/a
1991 879 46.3 18.9 n/a
1992 879 46.3 18.9 n/a
1993 959 46.5 20.6 n/a
1994 707 47.8 14.8 n/a
1995 730 46.8 15.6 n/a
1996 730 46.8 15.6 n/a
1997 716 48.9 14.6 13.5
1998 711 49.6 14.3 22.4
1999 710 49.6 14.3 23
2000 655 51.4 12.7 21.8
2001 625 44.4 14.1 22.9
2002 619 42.9 14.4 26.5
2003 619 42.9 14.4 26.5
2004 635 44.0 14.4 27.4
2005 640 45.0 14.2 25.9
2006 628 46.0 13.7 26
2007 561 46.0 12.2 23
2008 561 46.0 12.2 28
2009 590 45.1 13.1 31.5
2010 557 45.0 12.3 30.9
2011 559 45.0 12.3 30.2
2012 594 42.8 13.8 31.8
2013 597 40.7 14.6 31.8
2014 593 40.7 14.5 34.4
2015 577 42.0 13.7 32.6
2016 586 42.0 13.9 34.8
2017 624 39.5 15.7 33.7
2018 627 38.0 16.4 31.6
2019 617 38.5 16.0 29.3
2020 633 37.9 16.6 30.6
2021 630 36.9 17.0 29
2022 618 36.0 17.1 20.9
2023 600 36.1 16.6 26.3

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 Watertown Middle School - 02

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 847 47.5 17.8 n/a
1990 856 48.2 17.7 n/a
1991 879 46.3 18.9 n/a
1992 879 46.3 18.9 n/a
1993 959 46.5 20.6 n/a
1994 707 47.8 14.8 n/a
1995 730 46.8 15.6 n/a
1996 730 46.8 15.6 n/a
1997 716 48.9 14.6 13.5
1998 711 49.6 14.3 22.4
1999 710 49.6 14.3 23
2000 655 51.4 12.7 21.8
2001 625 44.4 14.1 22.9
2002 619 42.9 14.4 26.5
2003 619 42.9 14.4 26.5
2004 635 44.0 14.4 27.4
2005 640 45.0 14.2 25.9
2006 628 46.0 13.7 26
2007 561 46.0 12.2 23
2008 561 46.0 12.2 28
2009 590 45.1 13.1 31.5
2010 557 45.0 12.3 30.9
2011 559 45.0 12.3 30.2
2012 594 42.8 13.8 31.8
2013 597 40.7 14.6 31.8
2014 593 40.7 14.5 34.4
2015 577 42.0 13.7 32.6
2016 586 42.0 13.9 34.8
2017 624 39.5 15.7 33.7
2018 627 38.0 16.4 31.6
2019 617 38.5 16.0 29.3
2020 633 37.9 16.6 30.6
2021 630 36.9 17.0 29
2022 618 36.0 17.1 20.9
2023 600 36.1 16.6 26.3

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 Watertown Middle School - 02

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020 $407 (4.9%) $7,858 (95.1%) $8,265
2021 $455 (5.3%) $8,133 (94.7%) $8,588
2022 $532 (6.2%) $8,015 (93.8%) $8,547
2023 $471 (5.0%) $8,887 (95.0%) $9,359

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Watertown Middle School - 02

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 34th of 149 Middle schoolsRanks 32nd of 150 Middle schools
 1.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Watertown Middle School - 02)69.964.6
 5.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Watertown School District 14-4)69.464.6
 4.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)54.150.7
 3.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Watertown Middle School - 02)53.948.6
 5.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Watertown School District 14-4)53.848.6
 5.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)45.641.2
 4.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Watertown Middle School - 02)62.360.1
 2.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Watertown School District 14-4)62.360.3
 2.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)52.148.8
 3.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Watertown Middle School - 02)45.352
 6.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Watertown School District 14-4)45.351.9
 6.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)43.837.5
 6.3%
8th Grade Science (Watertown Middle School - 02)48.740.2
 8.5%
   8th Grade Science (Watertown School District 14-4)48.740.1
 8.6%
   8th Grade Science (South Dakota)41.238.1
 3.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Watertown Middle School - 02)66.262.3
 3.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Watertown School District 14-4)63.957.6
 6.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (South Dakota)53.249.7
 3.5%
All Grades Mathematics (Watertown Middle School - 02)49.750.4
 0.7%
   All Grades Mathematics (Watertown School District 14-4)54.849.5
 5.3%
   All Grades Mathematics (South Dakota)44.941.9
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students617600
 2.8%
African American72
 71.4%
American Indian2019
 5%
Asian81
 87.5%
Hispanic2842
 50%
Pacific Islander00
White539510
 5.4%
Two or More Races1526
 73.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients29.3%26.3%
 3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Watertown Middle School - 02

Watertown Middle School - 02 ranks 30th of 147 South Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Watertown Middle School - 02 usually go on to attend Watertown High School - 01

In the 2022-23 school year, 600 students attended Watertown Middle School - 02.

Students at Watertown Middle School - 02 are 85% White, 7% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% American Indian.


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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.





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