Summary:
The Wishek 19 school district is home to a single high school, Wishek High School, which serves 97 students in grades 7 through 12 in a small, rural North Dakota community.
Wishek High School presents a complex picture of past success and current challenges. The school achieved a notable 4-star rating and ranked 25th in the state during the 2022-2023 school year, but has since experienced a sharp decline to a 2-star rating and a 76th-place state ranking for the current 2024-2025 year. This rapid drop is a significant concern. Despite a very low student-teacher ratio of 10.1:1 and a high per-student spending of $15,499—factors that typically support strong academics—the school's current outcomes are lagging. The graduation rate stands at 78.6%, below the state average of 84.2%, and test scores are generally below state benchmarks. The most critical weakness is in math, where only 20% of all students are proficient, compared to 41% statewide. Reading and science scores (both 34.5%) are closer to state averages (40% and 38%, respectively), with 10th-grade science actually outperforming the state average.
The data reveals a stark disconnect between the school's performance and the district's overall reported scores. For instance, the district's all-grades math proficiency is 54%, while Wishek High School itself reports only 20% proficiency. This suggests that other schools within the district are performing much higher, making Wishek High School a clear outlier that requires focused attention. For parents, this school offers the benefit of small class sizes and significant per-student investment, but the recent academic decline, particularly in math, and the below-average graduation rate are important factors to consider when evaluating the school's current educational environment.
Thank you for your feedback!