Enrollment
639
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fargo, ND
Centennial Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Centennial Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 380678000823
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Centennial Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of North Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North Dakota schools.
- #9 of 20
- elementary schools in Fargo · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.4:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 20.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Centennial Elementary School has class sizes larger than 90% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Elementary School ranks #9 of 20 elementary schools in Fargo, ND.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.4:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.3%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Centennial Elementary School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Centennial Elementary School
Centennial Elementary School is a large elementary school in Fargo, North Dakota, enrolling 639 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.4:1 is larger than about 90% of North Dakota schools and 39% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 20.3% lands close to the North Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 94% of state schools at 639 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 54 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #17.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and African American (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 426 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fargo's elementary schools, it stands alongside Bennett Elementary School (622 students): Centennial Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.4:1 vs 15.9:1).
Fargo 1 also operates Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students) and North High School (1,110 students) alongside Centennial Elementary 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 Centennial Elementary School compares
Centennial Elementary 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 | 16.4:1 | ▲ 39% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.3% | ▼ 28% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 639 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
639
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below 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
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 39% above state mean
Top 90% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
11.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 426 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 59.5%
African American 20.3%
Asian 8.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%
Two or More 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 59.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.2, Centennial Elementary 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 Centennial Elementary 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 Centennial Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo Davies High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ben Franklin Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Centennial Elementary 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 elementary schools in Fargo
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Bennett Elementary School
Standard public school
622 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Osgood Elem School
Standard public school
554 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Independence Elementary School
Standard public school
553 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Kennedy Elementary School
Standard public school
469 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Willow Park Elementary School
Standard public school
461 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Ed Clapp Elementary School
Standard public school
444 students 9.9:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~639 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Centennial Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Centennial Elementary 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 Centennial Elementary School
How many students attend Centennial Elementary School?
Centennial Elementary School has 639 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fargo, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Centennial Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Centennial Elementary School is 16.4:1, which is 39% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Centennial Elementary School?
20.3% of students at Centennial Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Centennial Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Centennial Elementary School is White at 59.5% of enrollment, in Fargo, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Centennial Elementary School?
Centennial Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Centennial Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Fargo?
By Resource Investment Index, Centennial Elementary School ranks #9 of 20 elementary 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 elementary schools in Fargo on the city page.
Is Centennial Elementary School a good school?
Centennial Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of North Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North Dakota schools. 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 Centennial Elementary 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.