Enrollment
1,124
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Bismarck, ND
Horizon Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Horizon Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 380001400051
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Horizon Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of North Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Bismarck · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 10.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Horizon Middle School has class sizes larger than 84% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Horizon Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Bismarck, ND.
School address
District: Bismarck 1 · North Dakota
NCES ID 380001400051 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
75.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.6%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-62% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Horizon Middle School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Horizon Middle School
Horizon Middle School is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Bismarck, North Dakota, enrolling 1,124 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15:1 puts it in the larger third of North Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.6% free-meal eligibility runs 62% below the North Dakota average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,124 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 25 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #9.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Two or More (6%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 375 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
15.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Bismarck 1 spends $14,037 per pupil, 24% below the North Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bismarck's middle schools, it stands alongside Simle Middle School (1,053 students): Horizon Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15:1 vs 14.4:1).
Bismarck 1 also operates Legacy High School (1,419 students) and Century High School (1,406 students) alongside Horizon 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 Horizon Middle School compares
Horizon 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 | 15:1 | ▲ 27% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.6% | ▼ 62% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,124 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,124
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% below the North Dakota average of 28.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 84% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,037
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 375 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 79.3%
Two or More 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.4%
African American 2.5%
Asian 2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.4%
Largest group: White at 79.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.3, Horizon Middle School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bismarck 1, which includes Horizon Middle School.
$14,037
Per student
-24%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.0%
State 55.3%
Federal 16.7%
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 Horizon Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Century High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bismarck High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Simle Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wachter Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Horizon Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,419
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,406
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,367
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,053
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,012
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle schools in Bismarck
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 (~1,124 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Horizon Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Horizon Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Bismarck 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 Horizon Middle School
How many students attend Horizon Middle School?
Horizon Middle School has 1,124 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Bismarck, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Horizon Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Horizon Middle School is 15:1, which is 27% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Horizon Middle School?
10.6% of students at Horizon Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Horizon Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Horizon Middle School is White at 79.3% of enrollment, in Bismarck, ND.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Horizon Middle School?
Horizon Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Horizon Middle School rank among middle schools in Bismarck?
By Resource Investment Index, Horizon Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Bismarck, 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 Bismarck on the city page.
Is Horizon Middle School a good school?
Horizon Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of North Dakota schools. 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 Bismarck 1?
Besides Horizon Middle School, Bismarck 1 also operates Legacy High School (1,419 students), Century High School (1,406 students), and Bismarck High School (1,367 students). See the Bismarck 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.