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How has BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL changed in the last five years, for better or worse?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
538
Elementary
DISTRICT 403 · STATE 212
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·MCKENZIE CO 1·NCES 381254000414
BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
300 3rd St SE, Watford City, ND 58854 · (701) 444-3626 · McKenzie County
GRADES KG–05ELEMENTARY33-TOWNREGULAR SCHOOL538 STUDENTS
C-
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 18% of North Dakota public elementary schools
- C-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- ·Beats expectations Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
- ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded North Dakota public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
12.0:1
45 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 69.3:1 · STATE 11.4:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
39%
211 students
DISTRICT 35% · STATE 37%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 100 | 19% |
| Grade 1 | 78 | 14% |
| Grade 2 | 85 | 16% |
| Grade 3 | 99 | 18% |
| Grade 4 | 87 | 16% |
| Grade 5 | 89 | 17% |
This year's kindergarten class (100) is 12% larger than its 5th grade class (89).
Student demographics
53%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 54% · STATE 49% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL→WATFORD CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Based on grade levels within MCKENZIE CO 1. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
ND A+ 2024-25 . % Proficient + AdvancedEnglish Language Arts
32.0%
ND avg 38.7%
Math
30.0%
ND avg 40.0%
What this means: On the ND A+, North Dakota's statewide test, about 32 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 30 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all North Dakota schools, those numbers are about 39 and 40.
Source: ND A+. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Schools most like BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL this school | 538 | 39.2% | N/A |
| FOX HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Watford City | 663 | 35.7% | N/A |
| MISSOURI RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Williston | 397 | 37.5% | N/A |
| CENTURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Grafton | 532 | 48.5% | N/A |
| HAGAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Williston | 486 | 38.7% | N/A |
| MINTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Minto | 220 | 43.6% | N/A |
Matched among North Dakota elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 30.0% | #172 of 199 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 32.0% | #169 of 199 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 538 | #13 of 283 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.0:1 | #55 of 130 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 53.1% | #41 of 131 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 39.2% | #70 of 201 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -43.5% | #3 of 74 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
538
+29 (+6%) vs 2020
+36% since 1990-91, when it was 397
Student : Teacher
12.0:1
was 14.1:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 538 | 45 | 12.0:1 | 39% (211) |
| 2023-24 | 500 | 30 | 16.7:1 | 35% (173) |
| 2022-23 | 566 | 34 | 16.6:1 | 42% (240) |
| 2020-21 | 509 | 36 | 14.1:1 | 37% (186) |
| 2017-18 | 953 | 61.5 | 15.5:1 | 16% (157) |
| 2015-16 | 855 | 54 | 15.8:1 | 28% (238) |
| 2010-11 | 292 | 22 | 13.3:1 | 23% (66) |
| 2000-01 | 296 | 20 | 14.8:1 | 35% (103) |
| 1990-91 | 397 | 18 | 22.1:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
Since 2017-18: students down 44% (953 to 538); teachers down 27% (61.5 to 45).
About BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
A large elementary school in Watford City, North Dakota, BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is part of MCKENZIE CO 1. The latest federal count shows 538 students in kindergarten through 5. The average for elementary schools in North Dakota is about 212 students, so this school is 154% above average.
MCKENZIE CO 1 operates 7 schools. Combined enrollment is 2,349 students.
White students make up a majority at BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, at 61%. Next come 31% Hispanic, 3% Native American, and 2% multiracial. That compares with about 78% White among all McKenzie County residents. BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL's diversity index is 53%, against a US figure of 70%.
Teachers at the school number 45 full-time equivalents, and the ratio is 12.0:1. That is close to the 11.4:1 average for elementary schools in North Dakota. Roughly 39% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. That tracks the 42% average for public schools in McKenzie County.
Measured against North Dakota public elementary schools, BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL receives a C-. The grade weighs proficiency most heavily, then how results compare with what the school's low-income share predicts, then the three-year change.
In the county around the school, McKenzie County, the median household income is $93,404, 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 8% of people live in poverty. There are 13 public schools in McKenzie County, enrolling about 3,091 students in all.
Nearest public school: WATFORD CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL, about 0.2 miles away. Within five miles are 6 other public schools.
By NCES locale, the school is Town: Remote, or in a town far from an urbanized area.
Enrollment climbed 6% from its 2020-21 level of 509. Staffing shifted too: the ratio moved from 14.1:1 to 12.0:1.
To ask about school events, clubs, and volunteer needs, start a discussion on this page. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
McKenzie County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
14,321
Census ACS
Median income
$93,404
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
19%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
13
3,091 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in MCKENZIE CO 1
- FOX HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 663 students
- WATFORD CITY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 566 students
- WATFORD CITY MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 509 students
- WATFORD CITY VIRTUAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 34 students
- WOLVES CENTER ACADEMYHigh · 30 students
- WATFORD CITY VIRTUAL ACADEMY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 9 students
Other schools in Watford City
- FOX HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 663 students
- WATFORD CITY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 566 students
- WATFORD CITY MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 509 students
- WATFORD CITY VIRTUAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 34 students
- WOLVES CENTER ACADEMYHigh · 30 students
- WATFORD CITY VIRTUAL ACADEMY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 9 students
Nearby schools
- WATFORD CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL0.2 mi · 509
- WOLVES CENTER ACADEMY0.7 mi · 30
- WATFORD CITY VIRTUAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL1.3 mi · 34
- WATFORD CITY VIRTUAL ACADEMY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1.3 mi · 9
- WATFORD CITY HIGH SCHOOL1.6 mi · 566
- FOX HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1.9 mi · 663
Frequently asked questions
About BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLHow large is BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL enrolls approximately 538 students in grades KG-05.
What age range does BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL serve?
BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL serves students from grade KG through grade 05.
How many students per teacher at BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
Approximately 12.0:1 students per teacher at BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
What is the student diversity at BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
Student demographics at BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL are roughly 61% White, 31% Hispanic, 2% Black, 1% Asian, 2% Two or more.
What district is BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in?
BADLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is part of MCKENZIE CO 1.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.