Top Rankings
Bismarck 1 School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Dakota for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 4 public middle schools serving 3,113 students in Bismarck 1 School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public middle schools in North Dakota.
Public Middle Schools in Bismarck 1 School District have an average math proficiency score of 38% (versus the North Dakota public middle school average of 36%), and reading proficiency score of 44% (versus the 44% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 23% of the student body (majority American Indian and Hispanic), which is less than the North Dakota public middle school average of 29% (majority American Indian).
Overview
This School District
This State (ND)
# Schools
29 Schools
208 Schools
# Students
14,106 Students
39,176 Students
# Teachers
932 Teachers
3,481 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
District Rank
Bismarck 1 School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 167 school districts in North Dakota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 86% has decreased from 88% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#83 out of 169 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)

Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
43%
39%

Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
45%
44%

Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
44%

Graduation Rate
86%
85%

Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.41
0.48
# American Indian Students
980 Students
5,643 Students
% American Indian Students
7%
14%
# Asian Students
160 Students
421 Students
% Asian Students
1%
1%
# Hispanic Students
653 Students
2,286 Students
% Hispanic Students
5%
6%
# Black Students
401 Students
1,487 Students
% Black Students
3%
4%
# White Students
10,724 Students
27,700 Students
% White Students
76%
71%
# Hawaiian Students
159 Students
91 Students
% Hawaiian Students
1%
n/a
# Two or more races Students
1,029 Students
1,548 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
4%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
374
396
# Students in K Grade:
993
718
# Students in 1st Grade:
1,041
757
# Students in 2nd Grade:
1,124
783
# Students in 3rd Grade:
1,083
716
# Students in 4th Grade:
1,042
812
# Students in 5th Grade:
1,035
1,523
# Students in 6th Grade:
1,063
7,290
# Students in 7th Grade:
1,029
9,001
# Students in 8th Grade:
1,021
9,080
# Students in 9th Grade:
1,158
2,284
# Students in 10th Grade:
1,139
2,100
# Students in 11th Grade:
1,042
1,943
# Students in 12th Grade:
962
1,773
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $15,453 in this school district is less than the state median of $17,615. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,269 is less than the state median of $17,617. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$218 MM
$2,154 MM

Spending
$215 MM
$2,154 MM

Revenue / Student
$15,453
$17,615

Spending / Student
$15,269
$17,617

Best Bismarck 1 School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Horizon Middle School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
500 Ash Coulee Dr
Bismarck, ND 58503
(701) 323-4550
Bismarck, ND 58503
(701) 323-4550
Grades: 6-8
| 1,059 students
Rank: #22.
Simle Middle School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
1218 Simle Dr
Bismarck, ND 58501
(701) 323-4600
Bismarck, ND 58501
(701) 323-4600
Grades: 6-8
| 1,047 students
Rank: #33.
Wachter Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1107 S 7th St
Bismarck, ND 58504
(701) 323-4650
Bismarck, ND 58504
(701) 323-4650
Grades: 6-8
| 1,007 students
Rank: n/an/a
128 Soo Line Dr
Bismarck, ND 58501
(701) 323-4101
Bismarck, ND 58501
(701) 323-4101
Grades: 6-8
| n/a students
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