Willow Lake Middle School - 03

Willow Lake Middle School - 03 is one of the tiny 6-8 campuss in Willow Lake, South Dakota, run under Willow Lake School District 12-3, with 54 students on its rolls from grades 6 through 8. That puts it 71% smaller than the typical public school in South Dakota, which averages around 187 students.

Willow Lake Middle School - 03 is one of 6 schools operated by Willow Lake School District 12-3, a district that hosts 344 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Willow Lake Middle School - 03 records that nearly all students (98%) are White.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 3 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 20.6:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.4:1, putting Willow Lake Middle School - 03 higher than the state norm the norm. Around 39% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Willow Lake Middle School - 03 sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 47.1%; this one delivers 46.0%.

In the area at large, community-level numbers for Clark County indicate median household income runs about $70,726, roughly 20% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Willow Lake Middle School - 03 is one of 11 public schools in Clark County (combined enrollment of about 820 students).

Nearest neighbor: Willow Lake High School - 01, around 0.0 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Willow Lake Middle School - 03.

Geographically, the school is in a rural area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count climbed 38%: 39 students in 2018 compared to 54 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 87% to 98% across the same window. Class-load math has grew: from 9.6:1 in 2018 to 20.6:1 in 2025.

On allk12, recent activity here tends to focus on enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.