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Public elementary school · Mckenzie Co 1 · Watford City, North Dakota

Badlands Elementary School

Badlands Elementary School rates 3.7, below most Mckenzie Co 1 elementary schools, whose rated median is 5.4.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
3.7this school

3.7 on a one-to-ten scale; the Mckenzie Co 1 median is 5.4.

#436 of 457 schools in North Dakota · Mckenzie Co 1: 2 elementary schools rated, median 5.4

The brief

A Mckenzie Co 1 elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 5th.

Students at Badlands Elementary School score 43% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 41%).

It ranks 436 of 457 schools in North Dakota and 4 of 4 in Mckenzie Co 1.

Math41%216 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Reading45%216 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Proficiency declined earlier in the 14-year record (2009–2022), then recovered 10 points since 2019, reaching 43% in 2022.2022 EdFacts; 26 test records from ND state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
2.2
50% of the rating
Academics
7.0
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
2.5
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2024

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 57% (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 58854; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Badlands Elementary School and the 12 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$88,234
Median home value
$387,700
Median rent
$1,212/mo
College educated
23.5%
Homeownership
48.6%
Poverty rate
12%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 58854; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
55
Somewhat Walkable
Bike Score
45
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
2,338/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Watford City. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Watford City), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
34.6%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.1Compare →
  2. Badlands Elementary Schoolthis school
    3.7
One grade-compatible school using the same rating model sits within 5 miles, and one rates higher than Badlands Elementary School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Badlands Elementary School serve?

Badlands Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Badlands Elementary School?

Badlands Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 500 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Badlands Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Badlands Elementary School is 16.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Badlands Elementary School rank in ND?

Badlands Elementary School ranks #436 of 457 schools in ND.

What is Badlands Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Badlands Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Badlands Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Badlands Elementary School has 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Badlands Elementary School a charter school?

No, Badlands Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Badlands Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Badlands Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Badlands Elementary School?

34.6% of students at Badlands Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
500
Student-teacher ratio
16.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
30
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Remote Town
County
McKenzie County
Rank in district
#4 of 4
Schools in district
5
District spending per student
$15,006
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 58854)
9,345
Area median age
28.8

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Dakota Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.