Mckenzie Co 1

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.

Watford City, North Dakota - 5 schools

An equity score of 33/100 ranks Mckenzie Co 1 #78 of 101 districts in North Dakota (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,892 per pupil, Mckenzie Co 1 ranks #99 of 168 North Dakota districts by per-pupil spending (North Dakota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,004
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$15,892
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Mckenzie Co 1 operates 5 public schools serving 2,004 students, placing it among the smallest districts in North Dakota. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 1 elementary, 1 combined, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Mckenzie County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,892 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 69.6% local, 17.3% state, and 13.1% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 33/100, ranked #78 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 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (5 AP courses district-wide), a 183.1:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 22.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 60.9% White, 26.5% Hispanic or Latino, 2.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Wolves Center Academy, with a diversity index of 61.3/100.

Its largest campus is Fox Hills Elementary School, enrolling 663 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Wolves Center Academy, at 30 students, a 22x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Fox Hills Elementary School accounts for 28.8% of all Mckenzie Co 1 student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Mckenzie Co 1-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Mckenzie Co 1 school enrollment varies 22× across entities

Mckenzie Co 1 school enrollment ranges from 30 students (lowest) to 663 students (highest), a spread of 633 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. 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

Mckenzie Co 1 student-counselor ratio is 183:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Mckenzie Co 1 chronic absenteeism rate is 22.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Mckenzie Co 1 is typically wider than the Mckenzie Co 1-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

13.1%
Federal
17.3%
State
69.6%
Local

Funding Equity

33
Equity Score
78 / 101
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Mckenzie Co 1.

White 60.9%
Hispanic or Latino 26.5%
African American 2.6%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 3.0%
Other 6.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 55.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Mckenzie Co 1's schools, above the North Dakota average of 29.7.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Wolves Center Academy 61.3
  2. 2 Fox Hills Elementary School 56.0
  3. 3 Watford City High School 54.2
  4. 4 Badlands Elementary School 53.1
  5. 5 Watford City Middle School 52.0

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
5 AP courses total
183.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Mckenzie Co 1

School Enrollment
Fox Hills Elementary School
663
Watford City High School
566
Badlands Elementary School
538
Watford City Middle School
509
Wolves Center Academy
30

How Mckenzie Co 1 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The North Dakota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Jamestown 1 Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Devils Lake 1 Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Belcourt 7 Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Wahpeton 37 Smaller Similar spending Less locally funded
Central Cass 17 Smaller Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Mckenzie Co 1's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in North Dakota

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Bismarck 1
13,976 students · 29 schools · $14,037/pupil
Compare vs Mckenzie Co 1 →
West Fargo 6
12,680 students · 25 schools · $13,475/pupil
Compare vs Mckenzie Co 1 →
Fargo 1
11,431 students · 25 schools · $16,941/pupil
Compare vs Mckenzie Co 1 →
Minot 1
7,715 students · 22 schools · $15,116/pupil
Compare vs Mckenzie Co 1 →
Grand Forks 1
7,604 students · 18 schools · $14,844/pupil
Compare vs Mckenzie Co 1 →

Compare Mckenzie Co 1

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Bismarck 1 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Mckenzie Co 1?

Mckenzie Co 1 has 5 schools, including 1 elementary, 2 high, 1 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 2,004 students.

How much does Mckenzie Co 1 spend per student?

Mckenzie Co 1 spends $15,892 per student. The district has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #78 in North Dakota.

What is the demographic composition of Mckenzie Co 1?

Mckenzie Co 1 students are 60.9% White, 26.5% Hispanic or Latino, 2.6% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Mckenzie Co 1?

Mckenzie Co 1 has an equity score of 33/100, ranking #78 out of 101 districts in North Dakota.