Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.
Bismarck, North Dakota - 26 schools
An equity score of 42/100 ranks Bismarck 1 #64 of 101 districts in North Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $14,037 per pupil, Bismarck 1 ranks #131 of 168 North Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (North Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
Bismarck 1 operates 26 public schools serving 13,976 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Dakota. The school portfolio breaks down into 18 elementary, 4 high, 3 middle, 1 combined schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Burleigh County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,037 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 168 North Dakota districts by per-pupil spending. See how North Dakota compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 28.0% local, 55.3% state, and 16.7% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 42/100, ranked #64 of 101 in North Dakota against a state average of 51, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 26 schools offering Advanced Placement (44 AP courses district-wide), a 341.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 16.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 71.4% White, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Dorothy Moses Elementary School, with a diversity index of 75.7/100.
Its largest campus is Legacy High School, enrolling 1,419 students (10% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is South Central Alternative High School, at 97 students, a 15x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Bismarck 1 school enrollment ranges from 97 students (lowest) to 1,419 students (highest), a spread of 1,322 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Bismarck 1 is typically wider than the Bismarck 1-aggregate figure suggests.
Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Bismarck 1 is typically wider than the Bismarck 1-aggregate figure suggests.
Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22
This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.
Average demographic composition across 26 schools in Bismarck 1.
Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.
Average Simpson diversity index across Bismarck 1's schools, above the North Dakota average of 29.7.
Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.
The North Dakota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.
| District | Enrollment | Spending | Funding Mix |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Fargo 6 | Similar size | Similar spending | Similar funding mix |
| Fargo 1 | Similar size | Higher spending | Similar funding mix |
| Minot 1 | Smaller | Similar spending | Similar funding mix |
| Grand Forks 1 | Smaller | Similar spending | Similar funding mix |
| Williston Basin 7 | Smaller | Similar spending | More locally funded |
Comparisons are relative to Bismarck 1's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.
Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.
See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.
Compare vs West Fargo 6 →Bismarck 1 has 26 schools, including 4 high, 3 middle, 18 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 13,976 students.
Bismarck 1 spends $14,037 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #64 in North Dakota.
Bismarck 1 students are 71.4% White, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American, 1.6% Asian, averaged across 26 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
Bismarck 1 has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #64 out of 101 districts in North Dakota.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.