Enrollment
677
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fargo, ND
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Carl Ben Eielson Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 380678000186
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Dakota median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Fargo · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.9:1
- students per teacher
- 33.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School has class sizes near the North Dakota median. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carl Ben Eielson Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Fargo, ND.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
57.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.3%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
+18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carl Ben Eielson Middle School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School is a large middle school in Fargo, North Dakota, enrolling 677 students.
At 11.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Dakota median, within a few percentage points of the 11.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 33.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 95% of state schools at 677 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 36 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #13.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and African American (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 226 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Fargo's middle schools, it stands alongside Discovery Middle School (992 students): Carl Ben Eielson Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.9:1 vs 12.2:1).
Fargo 1 also operates Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students) and North High School (1,110 students) alongside Carl Ben Eielson Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Carl Ben Eielson Middle School compares
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School on the metrics families compare, against North Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Dakota | North Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.9:1 | ▲ 1% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.3% | ▲ 18% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 677 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
677
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 56% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
41.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$16,941
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $18,450
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 226 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 52 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 57.2%
African American 17.1%
Hispanic or Latino 12.0%
Two or More 5.5%
Asian 4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 57.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.3, Carl Ben Eielson Middle School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fargo 1, which includes Carl Ben Eielson Middle School.
$16,941
Per student
-8%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
+2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.1%
State 48.6%
Federal 15.3%
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.
How Carl Ben Eielson Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo Davies High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ben Franklin Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carl Ben Eielson Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,277
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,110
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 992
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 898
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 873
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar middle schools in Fargo
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~677 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carl Ben Eielson Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Carl Ben Eielson Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Fargo 1's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Carl Ben Eielson Middle School
How many students attend Carl Ben Eielson Middle School?
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School has 677 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fargo, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School is 11.9:1, which is 1% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 24% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School?
33.3% of students at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carl Ben Eielson Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School is White at 57.2% of enrollment, in Fargo, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carl Ben Eielson Middle School?
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Carl Ben Eielson Middle School rank among middle schools in Fargo?
By Resource Investment Index, Carl Ben Eielson Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Fargo, ND. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Fargo on the city page.
Is Carl Ben Eielson Middle School a good school?
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Dakota median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Fargo 1?
Besides Carl Ben Eielson Middle School, Fargo 1 also operates Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students), North High School (1,110 students), and Discovery Middle School (992 students). See the Fargo 1 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.