Enrollment
367
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bismarck, ND
Rita Murphy Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Rita Murphy Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 380001400056
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rita Murphy Elementary School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of North Dakota schools.
- #5 of 19
- elementary schools in Bismarck · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.1:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 27.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Rita Murphy Elementary 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, Rita Murphy Elementary School ranks #5 of 19 elementary schools in Bismarck, ND.
School address
District: Bismarck 1 · North Dakota
NCES ID 380001400056 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.2%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rita Murphy Elementary School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rita Murphy Elementary School
Rita Murphy Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Bismarck, North Dakota, enrolling 367 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 27.2% lands close to the North Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 367 puts it in the larger third of North Dakota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Among 80 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Two or More (11%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 245 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
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 elementary schools, it stands alongside Victor Solheim Elementary School (588 students): Rita Murphy Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.1:1 vs 15.5:1).
Bismarck 1 also operates Legacy High School (1,419 students) and Century High School (1,406 students) alongside Rita Murphy 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 Rita Murphy Elementary School compares
Rita Murphy 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 | 14.1:1 | ▲ 19% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.2% | ▼ 4% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 367 | top 19% | - | - |
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.
367
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
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.
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 245 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 69.5%
Two or More 10.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 6.0%
African American 3.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.5%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: White at 69.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.5, Rita Murphy 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 Bismarck 1, which includes Rita Murphy Elementary 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 Rita Murphy Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Century High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bismarck High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horizon Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Simle Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rita Murphy Elementary 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
- 1,124
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,053
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Bismarck
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Victor Solheim Elementary School
Standard public school
588 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Elk Ridge Elementary School
Standard public school
510 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Robert Place Miller Elementary School
Standard public school
485 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Liberty Elementary School
Standard public school
470 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Sunrise Elementary School
Standard public school
445 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Northridge Elementary School
Standard public school
410 students 11.4:1 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 (~367 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rita Murphy Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Rita Murphy Elementary 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 Rita Murphy Elementary School
How many students attend Rita Murphy Elementary School?
Rita Murphy Elementary School has 367 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bismarck, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rita Murphy Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Rita Murphy Elementary 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 Rita Murphy Elementary School?
27.2% of students at Rita Murphy Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rita Murphy Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Rita Murphy Elementary School is White at 69.5% of enrollment, in Bismarck, ND.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rita Murphy Elementary School?
Rita Murphy Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher 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 Rita Murphy Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Bismarck?
By Resource Investment Index, Rita Murphy Elementary School ranks #5 of 19 elementary 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 elementary schools in Bismarck on the city page.
Is Rita Murphy Elementary School a good school?
Rita Murphy Elementary School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of 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 Bismarck 1?
Besides Rita Murphy Elementary 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.