Enrollment
1,370
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Williston, ND
Williston High School
Federal NCES profile for Williston 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 380040500914
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Williston High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of North Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota.
- #9 of 13
- public schools in Williston · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 15.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Williston High School has class sizes larger than 82% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Williston High School ranks #9 of 13 public schools in Williston, ND.
School address
District: Williston Basin 7 · North Dakota
NCES ID 380040500914 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
93.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.1%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Williston High School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Williston High School
Williston High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Williston, North Dakota, enrolling 1,370 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the larger third of North Dakota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 15.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,370 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 498 North Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 23 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #19, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 56/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 8 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 274 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Williston Basin 7 spends $13,430 per pupil, 27% below the North Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 346 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,370 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Williston's high schools, it stands alongside Del Easton Alternative High School (37 students): Williston High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 18.5:1).
Williston Basin 7 also operates Bakken Elementary School (627 students) and Hagan Elementary School (486 students) alongside Williston 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 Williston High School compares
Williston 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 | 14.7:1 | ▲ 25% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.1% | ▼ 46% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,370 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,370
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 82% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
36.7%
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
$13,430
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 274 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
256
in-school suspensions + 90 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.3 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 62.6%
Hispanic or Latino 18.6%
Two or More 9.7%
African American 6.1%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 62.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.0, Williston High School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 8
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Williston Basin 7, which includes Williston High School.
$13,430
Per student
-27%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.8%
State 50.4%
Federal 5.8%
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 Williston High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakken Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hagan Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Williston Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcvay Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Missouri Ridge Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Williston High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 486
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 449
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 397
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar high schools in Williston
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~1,370 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Williston High School's federal record.
- Compare Williston High School against another school. Compare schools
- Williston Basin 7'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 Williston High School
How many students attend Williston High School?
Williston High School has 1,370 students enrolled. It is a high school in Williston, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Williston High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Williston High School is 14.7:1, which is 25% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Williston High School?
15.1% of students at Williston High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Williston High School?
The largest demographic group at Williston High School is White at 62.6% of enrollment, in Williston, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Williston High School?
Williston High School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Williston High School rank among public schools in Williston?
By Resource Investment Index, Williston High School ranks #9 of 13 public schools in Williston, ND. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Williston on the city page.
Is Williston High School a good school?
Williston High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Williston Basin 7?
Besides Williston High School, Williston Basin 7 also operates Bakken Elementary School (627 students), Hagan Elementary School (486 students), and Williston Middle School (485 students). See the Williston Basin 7 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.