Fargo Public Schools
Listed by NCES as Fargo 1 (district ID 3806780)
Public school district · Cass County · North Dakota · NCES district ID 3806780
Fargo Public Schools spent $17,740 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 93% of the other North Dakota districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $14,196). Its 25 schools enrolled 11,427 students in 2024-25; 44.8% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $18,846 per student, up 6.2% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 81% (North Dakota: 83.2%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among North Dakota's largest districts
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. Among the 10 districts shown, Fargo Public Schools ranks 1.
Where the money came from
$239,343,000 in revenue: 44.8% state, 41.2% local and 14.0% federal. Total spending including $71,267,000 of capital outlay was $280,936,000, or $24,577 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$107,151,000 45%
- Local$98,595,000 41%
- Federal$33,597,000 14%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 15 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment held steady from 2022-23 to 2024-25
11,431 students in 2022-23, 11,484 students in 2023-24, 11,427 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 11,431 | 943.4 | 12.1 |
| 2023-24 | 11,484 | 956.5 | 12.0 |
| 2024-25 | 11,427 | 981.9 | 11.6 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$89,443,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $7,825 per student
Fargo Public Schools booked $89,443,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 943 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $94,809 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 93 in 100 North Dakota districts with a figure (state median $65,626, 125 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average North Dakota teacher salary at $55,769 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $50,941,000 | 57.0% |
| Special education | $18,622,000 | 20.8% |
| Vocational | $4,021,000 | 4.5% |
| Other programs | $15,859,000 | 17.7% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $6,332 in 2018-19, $6,469 in 2019-20, $6,872 in 2020-21, $7,313 in 2021-22, $7,825 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Fargo Public Schools scored proficient or above: 46% in reading and 40% in math, against 43.8% in reading and 38.6% in math across North Dakota. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within North Dakota, not across states.
| Subject | This district | North Dakota | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 46% | 43.8% | 5,689 |
| Math | 40% | 38.6% | 5,718 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
81% of the 882 students in Fargo Public Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 83.2% across North Dakota. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | North Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 81% | 83.2% |
| Students in the class | 882 | 8,249 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
16 elementary schools, 5,198 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial Elementary School | 639 | 15.2 | 23.6% | Not Title I |
| Bennett Elementary School | 622 | 17.0 | 15.8% | Not Title I |
| Kennedy Elementary School | 469 | 11.7 | 31.3% | Not Title I |
| Ed Clapp Elementary School | 444 | 9.3 | 48.6% | Schoolwide program |
| Lewis and Clark Elementary School | 439 | 10.5 | 43.1% | Schoolwide program |
| Longfellow Elementary School | 386 | 15.1 | 11.7% | Not Title I |
| Horace Mann Roosevelt Elementary School | 344 | 10.3 | 41.9% | Schoolwide program |
| Lincoln Elementary School | 330 | 9.2 | 49.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Clara Barton Hawthorne Elementary School | 312 | 12.5 | 16.3% | Not Title I |
| Washington Elementary School | 292 | 10.2 | 19.2% | Not Title I |
| Eagles Elementary School | 292 | 9.4 | 30.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Jefferson Elementary School | 270 | 8.2 | 81.5% | Schoolwide program |
The other 4 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mckinley Elementary School | 169 | 7.9 | 40.2% | Schoolwide program |
| Madison Elementary School | 134 | 7.7 | 79.1% | Schoolwide program |
| Explorer Academy | 34 | 1.4 | 100.0% | Not Title I |
| Fargo K-8 Virtual Academy | 22 | 15.7 | not reported | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
3 middle schools, 2,542 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Middle School | 992 | 13.4 | 22.4% | Not Title I |
| Ben Franklin Middle School | 873 | 12.1 | 26.5% | Not Title I |
| Carl Ben Eielson Middle School | 677 | 11.6 | 35.9% | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
5 high schools, 3,525 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo Davies High School | 1,277 | 13.3 | 15.1% | Not Title I |
| North High School | 1,110 | 13.2 | 19.9% | Not Title I |
| South High School | 898 | 11.2 | 26.5% | Not Title I |
| Dakota High School | 127 | 12.8 | 88.2% | Not Title I |
| Fargo 9-12 Virtual Academy | 113 | 26.3 | not reported | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
1 other school, 162 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Special Education School | 162 | 8.9 | not reported | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact Fargo Public Schools
- Website: fargo.k12.nd.us
- Phone: (701) 446-1000
- Office: 700 7th Street South, Fargo, ND 58103
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Fargo Public Schools
- North Dakota districts by spending per studentFargo Public Schools ranks 2 of 15 North Dakota districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($17,740).#2 of 15
- Every school district in North DakotaFargo Public Schools is the number 3 by size of 170 North Dakota districts, with 11,431 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#3 of 170
- West Fargo 6 School DistrictThe next larger North Dakota district: 12,680 students in fall 2022, $13,666 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$13,666
- Minot Public School DistrictThe next smaller North Dakota district: 7,715 students in fall 2022, $15,223 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$15,223
- Compare Fargo Public Schools with West Fargo 6 School DistrictEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Fargo Davies High School, its largest high school1,277 students in 2024-25, 13.3 per teacher.1,277
- Teacher salary spending across North DakotaFargo Public Schools spent $94,809 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $65,626); spending, not a salary.$94,809
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Fargo Public Schools
How many schools and students are in Fargo Public Schools?
25 schools were open in 2024-25 (16 elementary, 3 middle, 5 high, 1 other), enrolling 11,427 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Fargo Public Schools spend per student?
$17,740 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the North Dakota median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $14,196 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $18,846 per student, up 6.2% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Fargo Public Schools' money come from?
$239,343,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 44.8% state, 41.2% local and 14.0% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Fargo Public Schools live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,711 of the 14,393 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 11.9%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Fargo Public Schools spend on teacher salaries?
$89,443,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $7,825 per student. Divided by the 943 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $94,809 per teacher, more than 93 in 100 North Dakota districts (state median $65,626). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average North Dakota teacher salary at $55,769 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Fargo Public Schools do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Fargo Public Schools scored proficient or above: 46% in reading and 40% in math, against 43.8% in reading and 38.6% in math across North Dakota. North Dakota's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Fargo Public Schools?
81% of the 882 students in Fargo Public Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 83.2% across North Dakota. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Fargo Public Schools' NCES district ID?
3806780. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25