Wahpeton 37

The Wahpeton 37 school district in North Dakota consists of 4 schools, including 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school, serving students from diverse backgrounds. The standout school in the district is Wahpeton Middle School, which has consistently ranked #1 among North Dakota middle schools for the past 3 years, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Wahpeton High School also has a strong history of high rankings, the elementary and high school test scores in the district are significantly lower than the middle school, both within the district and compared to the state averages. This suggests potential areas for improvement in curriculum, instruction, and support at the elementary and high school levels. Additionally, the varying free/reduced lunch rates across the schools, ranging from 21% at Wahpeton High School to 40% at Zimmerman Elementary, indicate differences in the socioeconomic backgrounds of the student populations, which may contribute to the performance gaps observed.

Across the district, the high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 19-20%, are a concern and may be impacting student learning and achievement. Addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism should be a priority for the Wahpeton 37 school district as it works to build on the strengths of its top-performing middle school and ensure consistent academic success across all grade levels.