In the area of public education, North Dakota fares well compared to other states, earning the 4th highest ACT scores in the U.S. in 2018. While overall the state’s schools are doing well, a handful of school districts truly distinguish themselves through high academic performance and great extracurricular programs. Here’s a closer look at the five best school districts in North Dakota. 

The best school district in North Dakota is Minot Public Schools, a large district of twelve elementary schools, three middle schools and a three-campus high school. MPS has a graduation rate above state and national averages. 

Grand Forks Public Schools is the 2nd best school district in North Dakota. The large district consists of the Grand Forks and Grand Forks Air Force Base school districts working in unison. Together, they employ 1,600 total people and serve 7,600 students across 18 schools. Despite its large size, the district sets a high standard for teachers, with 65% having a master’s degree or above. 

Placing 3rd in the ranking is Dickinson Public Schools, consisting of six elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools. Students in the district demonstrate above-average proficiency rates in ELA and math and graduate at a rate of 92.9%.

Lewis and Clark Public School District earns the 4th spot on the list. The small district is headquartered in the city of Plaza and comprises two schools serving a total enrollment of around 400 students.  LCSD students benefit from a favorable student-teacher ratio and an above-average number of students are proficient in math and reading. 

Completing the list is Kindred Public School District #2, another small district of one high school and one elementary school. In 2017, Kindred Elementary School won a National Blue Ribbon School Award. 

Top School Districts in North Dakota, 2020

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.