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Public middle school · Bismarck 1 · Bismarck, North Dakota

Wachter Middle School

Wachter Middle School rates 4.8, below most Bismarck 1 middle schools, whose rated median is 5.3.

Middle schools, 1 to 10This campus against public middle schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
4.8this school

4.8 on a one-to-ten scale; the Bismarck 1 median is 5.3.

#366 of 457 schools in North Dakota · Bismarck 1: 3 middle schools rated, median 5.3

The brief

A Bismarck 1 middle school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 366 of 457 schools in North Dakota and 21 of 26 in Bismarck 1.

Wachter Middle School is listed in Bismarck 1, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math34%1,044 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Reading39%1,035 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Proficiency has fallen 9 points since 2019, to 37% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).2022 EdFacts; 28 test records from ND state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
5.2
40% of the rating
Academics
5.3
35% of the rating
Resources & Environment
3.5
25% 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 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 54% (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 58504; 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.
Wachter Middle School and the 6 nearest middle schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$78,671
Median home value
$282,100
Median rent
$940/mo
College educated
31.4%
Homeownership
74.3%
Poverty rate
8.9%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 58504; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
64
Somewhat Walkable
Bike Score
48
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
2,123/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Bismarck. 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 (Bismarck), 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
31.7%
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. 6.0Compare →
  2. 5.3Compare →
  3. Wachter Middle Schoolthis school
    4.8
Two grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and two rate higher than Wachter Middle 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 Wachter Middle School serve?

Wachter Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Wachter Middle School?

Wachter Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 1,007 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Wachter Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Wachter Middle School is 15.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Wachter Middle School rank in ND?

Wachter Middle School ranks #366 of 457 schools in ND.

What is Wachter Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Wachter Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 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 Wachter Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Wachter Middle School has 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Wachter Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Wachter Middle School a Title I school?

No, Wachter Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Wachter Middle School?

31.7% of students at Wachter Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
1,007
Student-teacher ratio
15.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
66
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Small City
County
Burleigh County
Rank in district
#21 of 26
Schools in district
29
District spending per student
$14,570
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
6.8%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 58504)
30,159
Area average commute
18.3 min
Area median age
36.6

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.