Middle Schools in Bismarck 1

The Bismarck 1 school district in North Dakota is home to three middle schools serving grades 6-8: Horizon Middle School, Simle Middle School, and Wachter Middle School. Among these, Horizon Middle School stands out as the top performer, consistently ranking among the best middle schools in North Dakota with high test scores, low dropout and absenteeism rates, and a relatively higher socioeconomic status of its student population.

Horizon Middle School boasts a 4 or 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and outperforms the Bismarck 1 district and the state of North Dakota in the percentage of students proficient or better in Mathematics, Reading, and Science. In contrast, Simle Middle School generally lags behind the district and state averages in test scores and has a higher chronic absenteeism rate.

While all three schools have relatively low dropout rates, ranging from 1.0% to 2.0%, the chronic absenteeism rates are a concern, ranging from 12.0% at Horizon Middle School to 23.0% at Wachter Middle School. The racial makeup of the schools reflects the broader demographic trends in the Bismarck 1 district, with a predominantly white student population and varying percentages of minority groups, particularly Native American students.