Enrollment
1,012
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Bismarck, ND
Wachter Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Wachter Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 380001400061
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wachter Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of North Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Bismarck · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 23.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Wachter Middle School has class sizes larger than 79% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wachter Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Bismarck, ND.
School address
District: Bismarck 1 · North Dakota
NCES ID 380001400061 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
70.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.6%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wachter Middle School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wachter Middle School
Wachter Middle School is a large middle school in Bismarck, North Dakota, enrolling 1,012 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the larger third of North Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 23.6% 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 97% of state schools at 1,012 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Against 30 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #19.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (12%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 337 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
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.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Bismarck's middle schools, it stands alongside Horizon Middle School (1,124 students): Wachter Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.5:1 vs 15:1).
Bismarck 1 also operates Legacy High School (1,419 students) and Century High School (1,406 students) alongside Wachter 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 Wachter Middle School compares
Wachter 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 | 14.5:1 | ▲ 23% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.6% | ▼ 16% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,012 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,012
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 79% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.4%
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
$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 337 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
88
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 67.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 11.6%
Two or More 8.8%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
African American 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: White at 67.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.1, Wachter 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 Wachter 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 Wachter Middle 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 | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Simle Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wachter 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
- 1,124
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,053
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
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 (~1,012 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wachter Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Wachter 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 Wachter Middle School
How many students attend Wachter Middle School?
Wachter Middle School has 1,012 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Bismarck, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wachter Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Wachter Middle School is 14.5:1, which is 23% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Wachter Middle School?
23.6% of students at Wachter Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wachter Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Wachter Middle School is White at 67.9% of enrollment, in Bismarck, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wachter Middle School?
Wachter Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Wachter Middle School rank among middle schools in Bismarck?
By Resource Investment Index, Wachter Middle School ranks #3 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 Wachter Middle School a good school?
Wachter Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% 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 Wachter 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.