Enrollment
536
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Devils Lake, ND
Central Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Central Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 380504000127
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Dakota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North Dakota schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Devils Lake · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.5:1
- students per teacher
- 32.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Middle School has class sizes near the North Dakota median. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Devils Lake, ND.
School address
District: Devils Lake 1 · North Dakota
NCES ID 380504000127 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.5:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.0%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Middle School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Middle School
Central Middle School is a large elementary school in Devils Lake, North Dakota, enrolling 536 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 12.5:1 puts it in the larger third of North Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 32.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 90% of state schools at 536 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 50 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #31.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 268 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Devils Lake 1 spends $14,540 per pupil, 21% below the North Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Devils Lake's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sweetwater Elementary School (269 students): Central Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.5:1 vs 14.2:1).
Devils Lake 1 also operates Devils Lake High School (552 students) and Sweetwater Elementary School (269 students) alongside Central 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 Central Middle School compares
Central 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 | 12.5:1 | ▲ 6% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.0% | ▲ 13% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 536 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.5:1
Leaner classes than 71% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
536
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
12.5:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 62% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.7%
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
$14,540
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $18,450
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 268 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 56 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.9 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 63.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 29.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.1%
Two or More 1.9%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 63.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.4, Central Middle School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Devils Lake 1, which includes Central Middle School.
$14,540
Per student
-21%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.6%
State 60.7%
Federal 9.7%
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.
How Central Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devils Lake High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sweetwater Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Prairie View Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Minnie H Kindergarten Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 552
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 269
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 262
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 167
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in Devils Lake
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~536 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Central Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Devils Lake 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 Central Middle School
How many students attend Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has 536 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Devils Lake, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School is 12.5:1, which is 6% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 20% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Middle School?
32.0% of students at Central Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Central Middle School is White at 63.2% of enrollment, in Devils Lake, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Central Middle School rank among elementary schools in Devils Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Devils Lake, 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 Devils Lake on the city page.
Is Central Middle School a good school?
Central Middle School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Dakota median. 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 Devils Lake 1?
Besides Central Middle School, Devils Lake 1 also operates Devils Lake High School (552 students), Sweetwater Elementary School (269 students), and Prairie View Elementary School (262 students). See the Devils Lake 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.