Enrollment
898
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Fargo, ND
South High School
Federal NCES profile for South High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 380678000208
👥 S:T ratio 56
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South High School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Dakota median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota.
- #3 of 5
- high schools in Fargo · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.1:1
- students per teacher
- 26.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South High School has class sizes near the North Dakota median. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South High School ranks #3 of 5 high schools in Fargo, ND.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
81.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.1:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.0%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South High School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at South High School
South High School is a large high school in Fargo, North Dakota, enrolling 898 students.
At 11.1:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 26.0% lands close to the North Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 96% of state schools at 898 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 498 North Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 32 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #28, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and African American (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 58/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 299 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fargo's high schools, it stands alongside Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students): South High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.1:1 vs 13.7:1).
Fargo 1 also operates Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students) and North High School (1,110 students) alongside South 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 South High School compares
South 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 | 11.1:1 | ▼ 6% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.0% | ▼ 8% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 898 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.1:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
898
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
11.1:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 47% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
38.9%
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
$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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 299 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 61 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.9 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 61.6%
African American 16.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
Asian 4.8%
Two or More 4.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 61.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.9, South High School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fargo 1, which includes South 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 South High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo Davies High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ben Franklin Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carl Ben Eielson Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South 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
- 873
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 677
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
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
Dakota High School
Standard public school
127 students 14.1:1 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 (~898 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South High School's federal record.
- Compare South 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 South High School
How many students attend South High School?
South High School has 898 students enrolled. It is a high school in Fargo, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South High School is 11.1:1, which is 6% lower than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 29% 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 South High School?
26.0% of students at South High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South High School?
The largest demographic group at South High School is White at 61.6% of enrollment, in Fargo, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South High School?
South High School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South High School rank among high schools in Fargo?
By Resource Investment Index, South High School ranks #3 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 South High School a good school?
South High School earns 43/100 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 Fargo 1?
Besides South 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.