2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 380359000082
Burke Central High School — Lignite, ND
Federal NCES profile for Burke Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 62/100.
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
The verdict
Burke Central High School earns a C+ Resource Investment Index (62/100), with class sizes smaller than 95% of North Dakota schools.
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the
NCES CCD record.
Enrollment
43
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
5.2:1
vs 11.7:1 North Dakota avg
▲-56% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.0%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
▲+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Burke Central High School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
Smaller classes than state median
11.7:1 North Dakota median15.7:1 U.S. median
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Burke Central High School reports 43 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 6.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 5.2:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 56% below the North Dakota state mean of 11.7:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.7:1, it is 67% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 29.0% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 3% above the North Dakota average and 44% below the national baseline. Counselor coverage works out to roughly 43 students per counselor, meeting the American School Counselor Association recommendation of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 20.9% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Burke Central 36 spends $22,657 per pupil district-wide, above the North Dakota average of $18,450 and above the national average of $16,593. Revenue comes 60.2% from local sources (property taxes), 29.1% from the state, and 10.7% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (C+), calculated from 4 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against North Dakota state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
Metric
This school
vs North Dakota
North Dakota avg
U.S. avg
Students per teacher
5.2:1
▼ 56%
11.7:1
15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible
29.0%
▲ 3%
28.2%
51.8%
Enrollment
43
top 13%
—
—
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
Class size vs. every US school
Students per teacher (lower means more individual attention)
5Among the smallest classessmaller classes than 98% of 92,598 US schools
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25
School size vs. every US school
Total enrollment — where this school sits by size (neither large nor small is 'better')
43larger than 5% of 95,891 US schools
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
29.0%
free-lunch eligible
— 3% above the North Dakota average of 28.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold — federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
5.2:1
students per teacher
— 56% below state mean
Top 5% in North Dakota — lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
20.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$22,657
per pupil, district-wide
— above North Dakota avg of $18,450
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 43 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment43 Top 13% in North Dakota — larger than 87% of 499 state schools
Teachers (FTE)6.0
Students per teacher 5.2:1 -56% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 29.0% +3% vs state
NCES ID380359000082
Student demographics
White
74.4% · ≈32 students
American Indian / Alaska Native
11.6% · ≈5 students
Hispanic or Latino
7.0% · ≈3 students
African American
4.7% · ≈2 students
Two or More
2.3% · ≈1 students
White74.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native11.6%
Hispanic or Latino7.0%
African American4.7%
Two or More2.3%
Largest group: White at 74.4% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE)1.0
Students per counselor43:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent20.9%
In-school suspensions0
Out-of-school suspensions0
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Burke Central 36, which includes Burke Central High School.
$22,657
Per student
+23%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
+37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local60.2%
State29.1%
Federal10.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
Frequently asked questions about Burke Central High School
How many students attend Burke Central High School?
Burke Central High School has 43 students enrolled. It is a other school in Lignite, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Burke Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Burke Central High School is 5.2:1, which is 56% lower than the North Dakota average of 11.7:1 and 67% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Burke Central High School?
29.0% of students at Burke Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Burke Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Burke Central High School is White at 74.4%. The school serves a diverse student body in Lignite, ND.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Burke Central High School?
Burke Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (C+) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.
Is Burke Central High School a good school?
Burke Central High School earns a C+ Resource Investment Index (62/100), with class sizes smaller than 95% of North Dakota schools. The Resource Investment Index reflects staffing, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance reported to NCES, not test scores or academic outcomes, so treat it as a resource snapshot rather than an overall rating.