Enrollment
127
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Fargo, ND
Dakota High School
Federal NCES profile for Dakota High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 380678000211
👥 S:T ratio 44
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dakota High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of North Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North Dakota schools.
- #1 of 5
- high schools in Fargo · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 33.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Dakota High School has class sizes larger than 76% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dakota High School ranks #1 of 5 high schools in Fargo, ND.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.9%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
+20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dakota High School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dakota High School
Dakota High School is a mid-sized high school in Fargo, North Dakota, enrolling 127 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.1:1 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 33.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 127 students, its enrollment sits close to the North Dakota median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Among 79 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #71, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and African American (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 254 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
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 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Fargo's high schools, it stands alongside Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students): Dakota High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.1:1 vs 13.7:1).
Fargo 1 also operates Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students) and North High School (1,110 students) alongside Dakota High 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 Dakota High School compares
Dakota High 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 | 14.1:1 | ▲ 19% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.9% | ▲ 20% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 127 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
127
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 76% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.4 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 51.2%
African American 18.9%
Hispanic or Latino 11.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 9.4%
Two or More 7.9%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: White at 51.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Dakota High School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fargo 1, which includes Dakota High 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 Dakota High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo Davies High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ben Franklin Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dakota High 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 high schools in Fargo
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Fargo Davies High School
Standard public school
1,277 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
North High School
Standard public school
1,110 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
South High School
Standard public school
898 students 11.1:1 students per teacher
Fargo 9-12 Virtual Academy
Standard public school
113 students
Similar high 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 (~127 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dakota High School's federal record.
- Compare Dakota High 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 Dakota High School
How many students attend Dakota High School?
Dakota High School has 127 students enrolled. It is a high school in Fargo, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dakota High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dakota High School is 14.1:1, which is 19% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dakota High School?
33.9% of students at Dakota High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dakota High School?
The largest demographic group at Dakota High School is White at 51.2% of enrollment, in Fargo, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dakota High School?
Dakota High School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Dakota High School rank among high schools in Fargo?
By Resource Investment Index, Dakota High School ranks #1 of 5 high 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 high schools in Fargo on the city page.
Is Dakota High School a good school?
Dakota High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Dakota High 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.