Summary:
Valley City High School is the sole high school in the Valley City 2 district, serving 317 students in grades 9 through 12 in Valley City, North Dakota.
As the only high school in the district, Valley City High School shows a mix of strengths and challenges. The school has a 3-star rating for the 2024-2025 school year, ranking in the 56th percentile statewide, though its ranking has fluctuated significantly in recent years—from a high of 4 stars in 2022-2023 to a low of 2 stars the following year. The most critical concern is the graduation rate of 76.7%, which is well below the state average of 84.2%. This is particularly puzzling because the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 18% is actually better than the state average of 20%, suggesting the low graduation rate may stem from issues like academic preparedness or course failure rather than students missing school. Math proficiency is a clear weak point, with only 29% of students meeting standards compared to 41% statewide, while reading (39%) and science (34%) are closer to state averages. Interestingly, 10th-grade test scores are at or above state averages in math and science, indicating that performance in other grades may be dragging down overall results.
With a student-teacher ratio of 13.9:1 and per-student spending of $11,944, the school is not under-resourced, yet these investments are not translating into top-tier outcomes. The district itself is ranked 38th out of 134 districts in North Dakota (72nd percentile, 4 stars), which is notably higher than the school's individual ranking, suggesting the school may be underperforming relative to the district's potential. For parents, the key takeaway is that while Valley City High School offers reasonable class sizes and spending, it faces significant challenges in math achievement and ensuring students graduate on time, making these areas worth investigating further.
Thank you for your feedback!