Summary:
The Jamestown 1 school district in North Dakota is home to five elementary schools serving grades Kindergarten through 5th, with a total enrollment of about 844 students, and the district itself holds a 2-star rating, ranking 74th out of 134 districts in the state.
Two schools stand out for very different reasons. William S. Gussner Elementary School is the clear academic leader, boasting the highest math proficiency (64%) and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (3.0%) in the district. It also has the lowest percentage of students on free/reduced lunch (26.36%). In contrast, Washington Elementary School faces the most significant challenges, with the lowest enrollment (97 students), the highest poverty rate (52.58% on free/reduced lunch), and the lowest academic performance across all subjects, including just 24% proficiency in reading. Interestingly, Washington also spends the most per student ($18,752), while William S. Gussner spends the least ($15,633), highlighting that higher spending does not guarantee better results. Louis L'Amour Elementary School is a standout in science, achieving 59% proficiency—well above the district average of 49% and the state average of 38%.
A key takeaway is the district-wide struggle with reading, where even the top-performing William S. Gussner only reached 40.5% proficiency, just above the state average of 40%. The data also shows a strong link between poverty and performance, as the two schools with the highest free/reduced lunch rates—Washington (52.58%) and Lincoln Elementary School (50.28%)—are the lowest-ranked. Meanwhile, Roosevelt Elementary School has a chronic absenteeism rate of 15%, slightly above the district average of 14%. Overall, while William S. Gussner demonstrates what a stable, engaged student body can achieve, the district must address systemic reading challenges and the resource demands of its higher-poverty schools.
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