Best Middle Schools in North Dakota (2025-26)
Every ranked middle school in North Dakota, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.
North Dakota rankings: High Schools · Middle Schools · Elementary Schools
North Dakota middle schools ranked
How North Dakota's middle schools compare
A: 9B: 7C: 7D: 8F: 3
47% of the 34 ranked middle schools in North Dakota earn an A or B (9 A grades, 7 B, 7 C, 8 D, 3 F), against 46% of middle schools nationwide. 23 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (68% here, 70% nationally), and 13 exceed it. On average 46% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 41% (national averages: 45% actual, 38% projected).
The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Nathan Twining Middle School (64% against 43%, A+), Wahpeton Middle School (68% against 48%, A+), Turtle Mountain Community Middle School (36% against 16%, D), Memorial Middle School (64% against 46%, A+), Northern Cass Middle School (61% against 43%, A).
Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 10): Grand Forks 1 (2).
Cities with the most ranked middle schools: Grand Forks (3, 2 at A or B), Bismarck (3, 2 at A or B), Fargo (3, 1 at A or B).
The largest ranked middle schools: Liberty Middle School (1,102 students, C+, #19), Horizon Middle School (1,044 students, B-, #15), Simle Middle School (1,040 students, D+, #24).
Middle schools in North Dakota that are not ranked
5 graded middle schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.
Not yet graded (5)
Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.
- Asb Innovation Academy, Williston
- Minot Public Schools 6 8 Virtual Academy, Minot
- Turtle Mountain Middle School, Belcourt
- West Fargo Middle Virtual Academy, West Fargo
- Williston Middle School, Williston
About this ranking
- Scope: every public middle school in North Dakota.
- Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
- Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
- Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the middle schools.
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works
Questions about middle schools in North Dakota
What is the best middle school in North Dakota?
Wahpeton Middle School in Wahpeton ranks first among the 34 ranked middle schools in North Dakota with a SchoolGrade of A+, 68% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 48%.
How are middle schools in North Dakota ranked?
By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.
How many middle schools does North Dakota have?
SchoolGrade grades 39 public middle schools in North Dakota; 34 are ranked here and 5 are listed as not ranked.