Is Wachter Middle School a good school?

Wachter Middle School ranks 6 th of 24 North Dakota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Wachter Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,007 students attended Wachter Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Wachter Middle School?

Students at Wachter Middle School are 68% White, 13% American Indian, 8% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 2% African American.

What high school do graduates of Wachter Middle School attend?

Students who attend Wachter Middle School usually go on to attend Bismarck High School

Wachter Middle School

Summary:

Wachter Middle School is a public middle school located in Bismarck, North Dakota, serving grades 6-8 with an enrollment of around 1,000 students. The school is part of the Bismarck 1 School District, which is ranked 9th out of 20 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Wachter Middle School has consistently performed above the state average in both mathematics and reading proficiency across all grade levels, with an overall proficiency rate of 45% in mathematics and 56% in reading, compared to the state averages of 41% and 45%, respectively. The school's performance in science is particularly strong, with an overall proficiency rate of 62% in 2023-2024, significantly higher than the state average of 45%. Wachter Middle School has also shown consistent improvement in its statewide ranking, moving from the bottom quarter of North Dakota middle schools in 2015-2016 to the top quarter in 2023-2024, with a current ranking of 6th out of 24 middle schools.

Wachter Middle School has a more diverse student population compared to the nearby Horizon Middle School and Simle Middle School, with a higher percentage of non-White students and a higher proportion of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. However, the school has experienced higher chronic absenteeism rates in recent years, reaching 23% in 2022-2023, compared to 12% at Horizon Middle School and 20% at Simle Middle School. Despite this, Wachter Middle School's dropout rate has remained relatively low, ranging from 1% to 2% over the past four school years, which is comparable to the nearby middle schools.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1107 S 7th St
Bismarck, ND 58504

(701) 323-4650

District: Bismarck 1

SchoolDigger Rank:
6^th of 24 North Dakota Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,840

Students who attend Wachter Middle School usually attend:

High:

Bismarck High School

Feeder schools for Wachter Middle School:

Elementary:	Dorothy Moses Elementary School
	Jeannette Myhre Elementary School
	Lincoln Elementary School
	Prairie Rose Elementary School
	More...
	Victor Solheim Elementary School
	Will-Moore Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.0

Number of students: 1,007

Racial breakdown:

White:

68.4%

American Indian:

12.8%

Two or more races:

8.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 31.7%

See top rated North Dakota middle schools

Compare Wachter Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Wachter Middle School ranks better than 75% of middle schools in North Dakota. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked middle schools in the Bismarck 1 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.05. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (68.4%), American Indian (12.8%), two or more races (8.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 31.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Bismarck 1 School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wachter Middle School is 15. 2 middle schools in the Bismarck 1 School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Wachter Middle School employs 66.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wachter Middle School is $11,840, which is the 2^nd highest among 3 middle schools in the Bismarck 1 School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Wachter Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Wachter Middle School 6^th of 24 North Dakota public middle schools. (See Wachter Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Bismarck 1:

SchoolDigger ranks Bismarck 1 9^th of 20 North Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Wachter Middle School?

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Rank History for Wachter Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Wachter Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ND State Percentile
2012	47.56	85^th	124	31.5%
2013	47.10	94^th	135	30.4%
2014	50.08	84^th	136	38.2%
2015	39.30	68^th	109	37.6%
2016	36.14	87^th	116	25.0%
2017	25.34	26^th	32	18.8%
2018	13.42	19^th	21	9.5%
2019	36.45	17^th	23	26.1%
2021	18.55	23^rd	24	4.2%
2022	42.40	17^th	28	39.3%
2023	71.84	7^th	27	74.1%
2024	75.05	6^th	24	75.0%

See the entire list of North Dakota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Wachter Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ND State Percentile
2018	6.17	13^th	13	0.0%
2019	24.44	10^th	12	16.7%
2021	14.59	6^th	6	0.0%
2022	64.82	2^nd	3	33.3%
2023	70.31	4^th	12	66.7%
2024	93.43	1^st	11	90.9%

See the entire list of Best North Dakota Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Wachter Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ND State Percentile
2018	18.79	14^th	17	17.6%
2019	55.10	9^th	17	47.1%
2021	20.76	14^th	17	17.6%
2022	46.52	14^th	19	26.3%
2023	86.04	3^rd	20	85.0%
2024	77.98	4^th	19	78.9%

See the entire list of Best North Dakota Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Wachter Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ND State Percentile
2018	11.12	16^th	17	5.9%
2019	33.44	15^th	18	16.7%
2021	25.09	12^th	18	33.3%
2022	22.83	18^th	20	10.0%
2023	70.47	6^th	20	70.0%
2024	79.62	4^th	19	78.9%

See the entire list of Best North Dakota Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Wachter Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ND State Percentile
2018	17.38	17^th	18	5.6%
2019	44.35	13^th	21	38.1%
2021	27.33	19^th	22	13.6%
2022	49.33	12^th	25	52.0%
2023	76.93	4^th	25	84.0%
2024	79.08	3^rd	23	87.0%

See the entire list of Best North Dakota Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: North Dakota Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Wachter Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	610	0	0	1	27	n/a	n/a	638
1989	640	0	0	0	40	n/a	n/a	680
1990	720	0	0	0	54	n/a	n/a	774
1991	749	0	5	0	48	n/a	n/a	802
1992	782	2	2	0	44	n/a	n/a	830
1993	775	2	2	0	48	n/a	n/a	827
1994	758	1	3	1	37	n/a	n/a	800
1995	783	0	3	2	42	n/a	n/a	830
1996	783	0	3	2	42	n/a	n/a	830
1997	810	0	4	4	52	n/a	n/a	870
1998	790	1	6	5	71	n/a	n/a	873
1999	779	2	5	2	70	n/a	n/a	858
2000	773	3	4	1	69	n/a	n/a	850
2001	773	4	2	1	61	n/a	n/a	841
2002	777	10	0	2	90	n/a	n/a	879
2003	777	10	0	2	90	n/a	n/a	879
2004	761	8	0	3	77	n/a	n/a	849
2005	761	4	1	0	76	n/a	n/a	842
2006	735	3	2	4	72	n/a	n/a	816
2007	738	7	2	6	79	n/a	n/a	832
2008	719	7	3	5	93	n/a	n/a	827
2009	710	10	4	6	95	n/a	n/a	825
2010	731	13	8	6	86	n/a	n/a	844
2011	697	13	4	0	92	0	14	820
2012	687	13	4	11	82	0	5	802
2013	638	13	6	10	89	1	5	762
2014	663	15	6	20	92	1	12	809
2015	679	17	5	31	115	0	10	857
2016	672	26	11	33	112	1	16	871
2017	654	27	7	38	106	3	29	864
2018	678	20	4	43	122	3	38	908
2019	692	19	5	49	121	4	51	941
2020	781	36	6	55	137	8	60	1083
2021	772	34	7	46	131	9	68	1067
2022	771	34	7	44	129	9	72	1066
2023	725	26	4	52	117	5	71	1000
2024	689	21	7	72	129	7	82	1007

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Wachter Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	638	29.6	21.5	n/a
1989	680	29.7	22.8	n/a
1990	774	35.5	21.8	n/a
1991	802	37.6	21.3	n/a
1992	830	39.8	20.8	18.3
1993	827	49.2	16.8	18.3
1994	800	49.8	16.1	20.3
1995	830	49.0	16.9	15.3
1996	830	49.0	16.9	15.3
1997	870	49.2	17.7	14.5
1998	873	51.2	17.1	15.9
1999	858	50.9	16.9	16.3
2000	850	52.6	16.2	22.9
2001	841	53.5	15.7	22.8
2002	879	52.7	16.7	25.9
2003	879	52.7	16.7	25.9
2004	849	52.5	16.2	26
2005	842	53.9	15.6	29.1
2006	816	56.0	14.6	29.2
2007	832	57.0	14.6	30
2008	827	57.0	14.5	32.3
2009	825	55.4	14.9	30.3
2010	844	58.2	14.4	31.4
2011	820	62.6	13.0	31
2012	802	61.7	12.9	30.5
2013	762	59.9	12.7	30.6
2014	809	51.2	15.7	32.1
2015	857	53.0	16.1	30.9
2016	871	55.0	15.8	30.3
2017	864	54.1	15.9	32.5
2018	908	59.6	15.2	32.2
2019	941	60.4	15.5	34.5
2020	1083	67.8	15.9	37.7
2021	1067	73.5	14.5	23
2022	1066	70.7	15.0	18.2
2023	1000	70.7	14.1	30.3
2024	1007	66.7	15.0	31.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Wachter Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	638	29.6	21.5	n/a
1989	680	29.7	22.8	n/a
1990	774	35.5	21.8	n/a
1991	802	37.6	21.3	n/a
1992	830	39.8	20.8	18.3
1993	827	49.2	16.8	18.3
1994	800	49.8	16.1	20.3
1995	830	49.0	16.9	15.3
1996	830	49.0	16.9	15.3
1997	870	49.2	17.7	14.5
1998	873	51.2	17.1	15.9
1999	858	50.9	16.9	16.3
2000	850	52.6	16.2	22.9
2001	841	53.5	15.7	22.8
2002	879	52.7	16.7	25.9
2003	879	52.7	16.7	25.9
2004	849	52.5	16.2	26
2005	842	53.9	15.6	29.1
2006	816	56.0	14.6	29.2
2007	832	57.0	14.6	30
2008	827	57.0	14.5	32.3
2009	825	55.4	14.9	30.3
2010	844	58.2	14.4	31.4
2011	820	62.6	13.0	31
2012	802	61.7	12.9	30.5
2013	762	59.9	12.7	30.6
2014	809	51.2	15.7	32.1
2015	857	53.0	16.1	30.9
2016	871	55.0	15.8	30.3
2017	864	54.1	15.9	32.5
2018	908	59.6	15.2	32.2
2019	941	60.4	15.5	34.5
2020	1083	67.8	15.9	37.7
2021	1067	73.5	14.5	23
2022	1066	70.7	15.0	18.2
2023	1000	70.7	14.1	30.3
2024	1007	66.7	15.0	31.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Wachter Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$492 (4.7%)	$9,910 (95.3%)	$10,402
2020	$399 (3.9%)	$9,875 (96.1%)	$10,275
2021	$1,239 (10.8%)	$10,255 (89.2%)	$11,494
2022	$1,247 (10.5%)	$10,593 (89.5%)	$11,840

Data source: North Dakota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wachter Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 17^th of 23 Middle schools	Ranks 7^th of 27 Middle schools	48%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Wachter Middle School)	43	44	1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Bismarck 1)	47	43	4%
6th Grade Mathematics (North Dakota)	47	41	6%
6th Grade Reading (Wachter Middle School)	49	60	11%
6th Grade Reading (Bismarck 1)	51	55	4%
6th Grade Reading (North Dakota)	49	50	1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Wachter Middle School)	38	48	10%
7th Grade Mathematics (Bismarck 1)	39	46	7%
7th Grade Mathematics (North Dakota)	40	38	2%
7th Grade Reading (Wachter Middle School)	48	51	3%
7th Grade Reading (Bismarck 1)	49	50	1%
7th Grade Reading (North Dakota)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Wachter Middle School)	47	32	15%
8th Grade Mathematics (Bismarck 1)	45	35	10%
8th Grade Mathematics (North Dakota)	47	35	12%
8th Grade Reading (Wachter Middle School)	49	52	3%
8th Grade Reading (Bismarck 1)	48	48
8th Grade Reading (North Dakota)	51	48	3%
8th Grade Science (Wachter Middle School)	61	54	7%
8th Grade Science (Bismarck 1)	63	48	15%
8th Grade Science (North Dakota)	63	48	15%
All Grades Mathematics (Wachter Middle School)	43	41	2%
All Grades Mathematics (Bismarck 1)	47	45	2%
All Grades Mathematics (North Dakota)	45	39	6%
All Grades Reading (Wachter Middle School)	49	54	5%
All Grades Reading (Bismarck 1)	48	49	1%
All Grades Reading (North Dakota)	47	44	3%
All Grades Science (Wachter Middle School)	61	54	7%
All Grades Science (Bismarck 1)	63	47	16%
All Grades Science (North Dakota)	62	45	17%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	941	1000	6.3%
African American	19	26	36.8%
American Indian	121	117	3.3%
Asian	5	4	20%
Hispanic	49	52	6.1%
Pacific Islander	4	5	25%
White	692	725	4.8%
Two or More Races	51	71	39.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	34.5%	30.3%	4.2%

Schools Near Wachter Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NDSA Mathematics (2024)				NDSA Reading (2024)				NDSA Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NDSA Mathematics 6th Grade	NDSA Mathematics 7th Grade	NDSA Mathematics 8th Grade	NDSA Mathematics All Grades	NDSA Reading 6th Grade	NDSA Reading 7th Grade	NDSA Reading 8th Grade	NDSA Reading All Grades	NDSA Science 8th Grade	NDSA Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Wachter Middle School	Public	6-8	1107 S 7th St	Bismarck	58504	Burleigh County	Bismarck 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(701) 323-4650	1,007	67	15.0	31.7%	689 (68.4%)	21 (2.1%)	72 (7.1%)	7 (0.7%)	129 (12.8%)	7 (0.7%)	82 (8.1%)	75	6^th of 24 public middle schools	75.0%		71.8	7^th of 27 public middle schools	74.1%	1	34.0	52.0	49.0	45.0	48.0	61.0	59.0	56.0	62.0	62.0	$11,840	$1,247	$10,593
Bismarck Middle Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual	6-8	128 Soo Line Dr	Bismarck	58501	Burleigh County	Bismarck 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	No	(701) 323-4101	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)											$3,576	$1,544	$2,031
Simle Middle School	Public	6-8	1218 Simle Dr	Bismarck	58501	Burleigh County	Bismarck 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(701) 323-4600	1,047	74	14.2	20.6%	829 (79.2%)	24 (2.3%)	32 (3.1%)	8 (0.8%)	77 (7.4%)	8 (0.8%)	69 (6.6%)	46.5	14^th of 24 public middle schools	41.7%		40.4	15^th of 27 public middle schools	44.4%	1	43.0	47.0	30.0	41.0	55.0	48.0	49.0	51.0	31.0	31.0	$11,895	$1,330	$10,565
Horizon Middle School	Public	6-8	500 Ash Coulee Dr	Bismarck	58503	Burleigh County	Bismarck 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(701) 323-4550	1,059	74	14.3	15.4%	866 (81.8%)	23 (2.2%)	36 (3.4%)	20 (1.9%)	36 (3.4%)	21 (2.0%)	57 (5.4%)	78.2	4^th of 24 public middle schools	83.3%		78.4	4^th of 27 public middle schools	85.2%		47.0	45.0	44.0	46.0	62.0	58.0	53.0	58.0	54.0	54.0	$11,434	$1,344	$10,090
Mandan Middle School	Public	6-8	2901 12th Ave NW	Mandan	58554	Morton County	Mandan 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 751-6502	954	61	15.6	31.3%	718 (75.3%)	41 (4.3%)	58 (6.1%)	6 (0.6%)	92 (9.6%)	5 (0.5%)	34 (3.6%)	61.3	8^th of 24 public middle schools	66.7%		36.1	18^th of 27 public middle schools	33.3%	10	42.0	37.0	38.0	39.0	52.0	49.0	56.0	53.0	55.0	55.0	$11,464	$485	$10,978

Wachter Middle School

Wachter Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Bismarck 1:

What do you think?

Rank History for Wachter Middle School

Rank History for all students at Wachter Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Wachter Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Wachter Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Wachter Middle School

Rank History for White students at Wachter Middle School

Enrollment information for Wachter Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Wachter Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Wachter Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Wachter Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Wachter Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Wachter Middle School