Enrollment
1,006
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · West Fargo, ND
Cheney Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Cheney 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 381941000680
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cheney 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 West Fargo · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.6:1
- students per teacher
- 32.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Cheney Middle School has class sizes near the North Dakota median. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cheney Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in West Fargo, ND.
School address
District: West Fargo 6 · North Dakota
NCES ID 381941000680 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
87.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.6:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.8%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cheney Middle School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cheney Middle School
Cheney Middle School is a large middle school in West Fargo, North Dakota, enrolling 1,006 students.
At 11.6:1, 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 32.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,006 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 18 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #4.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and African American (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 252 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding West Fargo 6 spends $13,475 per pupil, 27% below the North Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among West Fargo's middle schools, it stands alongside Liberty Middle School (1,103 students): Cheney Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.6:1 vs 12:1).
West Fargo 6 also operates West Fargo Sheyenne High School (1,400 students) and West Fargo High School (1,380 students) alongside Cheney 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 Cheney Middle School compares
Cheney 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 | 11.6:1 | ▼ 2% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.8% | ▲ 16% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,006 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.6:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
1,006
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
11.6:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 52% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
22.9%
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
$13,475
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 252 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
116
in-school suspensions + 72 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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%
African American 17.2%
Hispanic or Latino 7.2%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: White at 63.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.1, Cheney Middle School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Fargo 6, which includes Cheney Middle School.
$13,475
Per student
-27%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.6%
State 52.9%
Federal 11.4%
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 Cheney Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Fargo Sheyenne High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Fargo High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heritage Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horace High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cheney Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,400
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,380
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,103
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 799
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 785
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle schools in West 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 (~1,006 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cheney Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Cheney Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- West Fargo 6'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 Cheney Middle School
How many students attend Cheney Middle School?
Cheney Middle School has 1,006 students enrolled. It is a middle school in West Fargo, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cheney Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cheney Middle School is 11.6:1, which is 2% lower than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 26% 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 Cheney Middle School?
32.8% of students at Cheney Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cheney Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Cheney Middle School is White at 63.2% of enrollment, in West Fargo, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cheney Middle School?
Cheney 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 Cheney Middle School rank among middle schools in West Fargo?
By Resource Investment Index, Cheney Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in West 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 West Fargo on the city page.
Is Cheney Middle School a good school?
Cheney 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 West Fargo 6?
Besides Cheney Middle School, West Fargo 6 also operates West Fargo Sheyenne High School (1,400 students), West Fargo High School (1,380 students), and Liberty Middle School (1,103 students). See the West Fargo 6 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.