Fargo 1 School District

700 7th Street South
Fargo, ND 58103
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Fargo 1 School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 6 public middle schools serving 2,614 students in Fargo 1 School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public middle schools in North Dakota.
Public Middle Schools in Fargo 1 School District have an average math proficiency score of 40% (versus the North Dakota public middle school average of 37%), and reading proficiency score of 48% (versus the 45% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 36% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is more than the North Dakota public middle school average of 30% (majority American Indian).

Overview

This School District
This State (ND)
# Schools
26 Schools
209 Schools
# Students
11,443 Students
39,317 Students
# Teachers
989 Teachers
3,701 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Fargo 1 School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 163 school districts in North Dakota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 81% has decreased from 84% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (ND)
#86 out of 167 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
40%
39%
46%
44%
48%
44%
81%
85%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.56
0.49
% American Indian
3%
14%
% Asian
4%
1%
% Hispanic
8%
7%
% Black
16%
4%
% White
64%
70%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
4%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $18,011 is higher than the state median of $17,517. The school district revenue/student has grown by 9% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $18,950 is higher than the state median of $17,519. The school district spending/student has grown by 15% over four school years.
This School District
This State (ND)
Total Revenue
$206 MM
$2,154 MM
Spending
$217 MM
$2,154 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,011
$17,517
Spending / Student
$18,950
$17,519

Best Fargo 1 School District Public Middle Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Discovery Middle School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
1717 40th Ave S
Fargo, ND 58104
(701) 446-3300
Gr: 6-8 | 992 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 37%
Rank: #22.
Ben Franklin Middle School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1420 8th St N
Fargo, ND 58102
(701) 446-3600
Gr: 6-8 | 873 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #33.
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1601 13th Ave S
Fargo, ND 58103
(701) 446-1700
Gr: 6-8 | 677 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Rank: #44.
Fargo K-8 Virtual Academy
(Math: 20-29% | Reading: 30-39%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
700 7th Street South
Fargo, ND 58103
(701) 446-1000
Gr: K-8 | 22 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: n/an/a
Explorer Academy
1780 17th St S
Fargo, ND 58103
(701) 446-4100
Gr: K-8 | 34 students Student-teacher ratio: 1:1 Minority enrollment: 59%
Rank: n/an/a
Self-directed Academy
1305 9th Avenue South
Fargo, ND 58103
(701) 446-3000
Gr: 6-8 | 16 students Student-teacher ratio: 2:1 Minority enrollment: 25%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 26 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 11,443 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 36%
  • : 81% (Top 20% in ND)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 40% (Top 50%)
  • : 46% (Btm 50%)
  • : 48% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), ND Dept. of Education

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