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McLean County

North Dakota · Public K-12

For a North Dakota county, McLean County operates a compact public-school system: 15 schools and 1,906 students, broken out as 7 elementary and 7 high.

7-year change in McLean County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
1,906
+314 (+20%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
15
+3 (+25%) vs SY 2017-18
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
15
8 districts
Enrollment
1,906
NCES CCD
Median income
$83,583
Above North Dakota avg
Free/reduced lunch
28.8%
Below North Dakota avg
Elementary
7
989 students
Middle
0
schools
High
7
746 students
Combined / other
1
171 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
GARRISON 51
396 students · 8 districts in McLean County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of McLean County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".

County residents
White
89%
Hispanic
2%
Black
0%
Asian
1%
Two or more
4%
Native American
6%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
74%
Hispanic
2%
Black
1%
Asian
0%
Two or more
3%
Native American
20%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
26.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.4%
civilian labor
Median age
48
21.1% under 18

Test scores in McLean County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 11 schools ranked. North Dakota state average: 38.7%.

See all 11 schools in McLean County ranked by score →

All schools (15)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
WASHBURN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWashburnElementaryPK-06234·
BOB CALLIES ELEMENTARY SCHOOLGarrisonElementaryPK-06225·
GARRISON HIGH SCHOOLGarrisonHigh07-12171·
White Shield SchoolRoseglenCombinedKG-12171·
WILTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWiltonElementaryPK-05153·
WASHBURN HIGH SCHOOLWashburnHigh07-12142·
WILTON HIGH SCHOOLWiltonHigh06-12130·
WHITE SHIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWhite ShieldElementaryKG-08117·
UNDERWOOD HIGH SCHOOLUnderwoodHigh07-1298·
TURTLE LAKE-MERCER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLTurtle LakeElementaryPK-0697·
UNDERWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLUnderwoodElementaryPK-0691·
TURTLE LAKE-MERCER HIGH SCHOOLTurtle LakeHigh07-1285·
MAX ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMaxElementaryPK-0672·
MAX HIGH SCHOOLMaxHigh07-1263·
WHITE SHIELD HIGH SCHOOLWhite ShieldHigh09-1257·

Cities in McLean County

Garrison2 schoolsMax2 schoolsTurtle Lake2 schoolsUnderwood2 schoolsWashburn2 schoolsWhite Shield2 schoolsWilton2 schoolsRoseglen1 school

About McLean County

McLean County is a small North Dakota county of about 9,823 residents, home to 15 public schools and roughly 1,906 students.

Zooming out, census numbers show the median household earns about $83,583 a year, roughly 26% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 5%. That income level is 14% above the North Dakota median.

For a sense of the school types, McLean County is made up of 7 elementary schools (989 students), 7 high schools (746), and 1 combined or other schools.

GARRISON 51 dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 396 students on its own.

Over the past 7-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 1,906 students, grew 20% from the 1,592 reported in SY 2017-18. Over that span, McLean County opened 3 schools, going from 12 to 15.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for McLean County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve McLean County?
There are 15 public K-12 schools in McLean County, North Dakota, with a combined enrollment of about 1,906.
How many high schools are in McLean County?
McLean County, North Dakota has 7 public high schools, serving approximately 746 students.
How many elementary schools are in McLean County?
McLean County, North Dakota has 7 public elementary schools, serving approximately 989 students.
What is the largest school district in McLean County?
GARRISON 51 is the largest school district in McLean County, serving approximately 396 students. The county contains 8 school districts overall.
What is the population of McLean County?
McLean County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 9,823, with a median age of 48. About 21.1% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in McLean County?
Median household income in McLean County is $83,583, above the North Dakota average of $73,179. About 5.3% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of McLean County?
Approximately 26.1% of adults 25 and older in McLean County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in McLean County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 28.8% of students in McLean County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the North Dakota county average of 33.7%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in McLean County schools?
Across McLean County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 9.6 to 1.
What is the racial makeup of McLean County?
McLean County residents are approximately 89% White, 2% Hispanic, 0% Black, 1% Asian, 4% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.

McLean County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data