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Middle Schools in Bismarck 1

Coming soon: We're expecting this year's test scores from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction any day now — new rankings will be posted the moment they're released!

Coming soon: This year's test scores are expected from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction any day now — new rankings will follow the moment they're released!

At a glance

DistrictBismarck 167^th of 134 North Dakota districtsFull district overview →

Schools

3,189

Students

Top rankedWachter Middle School16^th of 61 North Dakota middle schools

Compare North Dakota districts →See the top-ranked North Dakota schools →

Summary:

The Bismarck 1 school district in North Dakota is home to three middle schools: Horizon Middle School, Simle Middle School, and Wachter Middle School. These schools serve students in grades 6-8 and provide a comprehensive educational experience in the Bismarck area.

Among the three middle schools, Wachter Middle School stands out as the top performer. Wachter has consistently ranked among the top 4-7 middle schools in the state over the past three school years, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's students have demonstrated exceptional proficiency in A-Plus/Math (52%), A-Plus/Reading (47%), and A-Plus/Science (62%), as well as NDSA/Mathematics (45%), NDSA/Reading (56%), and NDSA/Science (62%) across all grades. Notably, Wachter's 8th-grade students achieved remarkable results, with 58% proficient or better in A-Plus/Math and 52% in A-Plus/Reading.

While the three middle schools share similar dropout rates (4.0%) and chronic absenteeism rates (20.0%), there are some notable differences in their student populations. Wachter Middle School has the highest percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 31.68%, compared to 15.39% at Horizon Middle School and 20.63% at Simle Middle School. The spending per student and student-teacher ratios are relatively consistent across the three schools, ranging from $11,434 to $11,895 per student and 14.2 to 15.0 students per teacher.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				A-Plus Math (2025)				A-Plus Reading (2025)				A-Plus Science (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	A-Plus Math 6th Grade	A-Plus Math 7th Grade	A-Plus Math 8th Grade	A-Plus Math All Grades	A-Plus Reading 6th Grade	A-Plus Reading 7th Grade	A-Plus Reading 8th Grade	A-Plus Reading All Grades	A-Plus Science 8th Grade	A-Plus Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
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	1,124	74	15.2	15.8%	891 (79.3%)	28 (2.5%)	55 (4.9%)	28 (2.5%)	38 (3.4%)	16 (1.4%)	68 (6.0%)	61.8	18^th of 61 public middle schools	70.5%		61.8	15^th of 57 public middle schools	73.7%	3	60.0	54.0	48.0	55.0	44.0	49.0	51.0	48.0	49.0	49.0	$12,084	$604	$11,480
Simle Middle School	Public	6-8	1218 Simle Dr	Bismarck	58501	Burleigh County	Bismarck 1	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(701) 323-4600	1,053	73	14.4	22.5%	809 (76.8%)	25 (2.4%)	39 (3.7%)	11 (1.0%)	91 (8.6%)	8 (0.8%)	70 (6.6%)	51	32^nd of 61 public middle schools	47.5%		43.9	30^th of 57 public middle schools	47.4%	2	53.0	54.0	52.0	54.0	42.0	43.0	40.0	41.0	43.0	43.0	$12,596	$671	$11,926
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	1,012	69	14.6	30.7%	687 (67.9%)	23 (2.3%)	78 (7.7%)	6 (0.6%)	117 (11.6%)	12 (1.2%)	89 (8.8%)	62.3	16^th of 61 public middle schools	73.8%		61.4	16^th of 57 public middle schools	71.9%		52.0	47.0	58.0	52.0	43.0	46.0	52.0	47.0	62.0	62.0	$13,318	$630	$12,688
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) 323-4000	0	0		—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)											$2,972	$598	$2,373

IMPORTANT NOTE: North Dakota does not publish exact assessment percentages; instead, results are reported as ranges (e.g., 20-29%) to protect student privacy in smaller groups. The proficiency rates displayed on SchoolDigger are calculated using midpoint imputation—the center value of each reported range. Actual values may differ by up to 5 percentage points from the figures shown.

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Theodore Jamerson Elementary School	3.18 mi	1
Mandan 1	3.42 mi	12	66^th
Apple Creek 39	6.19 mi	1	95^th
Marmot Schools	6.65 mi	1
Naughton 25	10.57 mi	1

See the top ND North Dakota districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.

About North Dakota Assessment Data: To protect student privacy, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction reports assessment results as percentage ranges rather than exact values. SchoolDigger calculates proficiency rates using midpoint imputation, which uses the center value of each reported range. For example, a reported range of 20-29% is represented as 24.5%. As a result, the proficiency rates shown may vary by approximately ±5 percentage points from actual values. This variance is most significant for individual grade/subject combinations and diminishes when data is aggregated across multiple grades or subjects.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.