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Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School

Q: Is Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School a good school?

Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School ranks 92 nd of 216 North Dakota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-8

92^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 216 North Dakota Elementary Schools

Better than 57% of North Dakota elementary schools

Summary

Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Fessenden, North Dakota, with 141 students. The school is part of the Fessenden-Bowdon 25 school district, which is ranked 44 out of 134 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School has consistently performed well on state assessments, with a significant number of students scoring proficient or better in math, reading, and science. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 49% in math, 49% in reading, and 49% in science, all exceeding the state averages. The school's performance is particularly strong in 3rd, 7th, and 8th grade math, as well as 3rd and 7th grade reading, where proficiency rates exceed the state averages by a significant margin. The school has maintained a strong ranking and rating within the state, ranking 25th out of 217 North Dakota elementary schools and receiving a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger in the 2023-2024 school year.

While Bm Hanson Elementary School in Harvey, ND, the closest neighboring school, also performs well on state assessments, Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School generally outperforms it in both math and reading proficiency rates. However, the school's performance has fluctuated somewhat over the years, and the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch has increased from 10% in 2021-2022 to 25.53% in 2023-2024, indicating a growing need for additional support and resources for economically disadvantaged students.

140

Students ?

11.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,612

Per pupil spending ?

15.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

500 2nd St N
Fessenden, ND 58438

(701) 547-3296

District: Fessenden-Bowdon 25

Students who attend Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Fessenden-Bowdon High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

97.9%

Hispanic:

1.4%

Two or more races:

0.7%

See top rated North Dakota elementary schools

Compare Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 80th percentile in 2014 → 57th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Dakota average (49% vs 40% meeting standards)

✓Above the North Dakota median (57th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 23 percentile points since 2014

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school49%

District avg51%

North Dakota avg40%

Elementary school

92^nd of 216

North Dakota public elementary schools ?

Top 43%▼ down 12 pts since 2017

From top 31% (2017) to top 43% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Dakota Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

35^th of 59

North Dakota public middle schools ?

Bottom 41%▼ down 8 pts since 2016

From bottom 49% (2016) to bottom 41% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Dakota Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

44^th of 134Fessenden-Bowdon 25 among North Dakota districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	52.7	92 of 216	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	77.7	25 of 217	88.5%	★★★★☆
2023	68.8	46 of 215	78.6%	★★★★☆
2022	75.4	31 of 217	85.7%	★★★★☆
2021	44.4	133 of 207	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2020	59.0	85 of 203	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	59.1	85 of 203	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.1	74 of 202	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	61.8	61 of 199	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2014	71.1	44 of 217	79.7%	★★★★☆
2013	54.0	124 of 217	42.9%	★★☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	46.7	35 of 59	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.4	29 of 57	49.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.9	33 of 61	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	62.2	19 of 61	68.9%	★★★★☆
2021	67.0	12 of 60	80.0%	★★★★☆
2020	74.4	7 of 55	87.3%	★★★★☆
2019	74.1	7 of 55	87.3%	★★★★☆
2018	81.0	2 of 55	96.4%	★★★★★
2017	83.3	2 of 52	96.2%	★★★★★
2016	52.2	27 of 53	49.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	31.6	116 of 135	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs North Dakota (2024-2025) ?

Math49%+8 vs state

Reading49%+9 vs state

Science49%+11 vs state

5.0

1 rating

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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Schools Near Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School

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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	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 3rd Grade	A-Plus Math 4th Grade	A-Plus Math 5th Grade	A-Plus Math 6th Grade	A-Plus Math 7th Grade	A-Plus Math 8th Grade	A-Plus Math All Grades	A-Plus Reading 3rd Grade	A-Plus Reading 4th Grade	A-Plus Reading 5th Grade	A-Plus Reading 6th Grade	A-Plus Reading 7th Grade	A-Plus Reading 8th Grade	A-Plus Reading All Grades	A-Plus Science 4th Grade	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
Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	500 2nd St N	Fessenden	58438	Wells County	Fessenden-Bowdon 25	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 547-3296	140	12	11.6	15.7%	137 (97.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	52.7	92^nd of 216 public elementary schools	57.4%		77.7	25^th of 217 public elementary schools	88.5%	67	59.0		20.0	54.5	59.0	34.5	49.0	64.5		44.5	34.5	64.5	34.5	49.0		34.5	49.0	$14,612	$456	$14,156
Bm Hanson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	811 Burke Ave	Harvey	58341	Wells County	Harvey 38	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(701) 324-2265	198	19	10.2	32.8%	181 (91.4%)	1 (0.5%)	6 (3.0%)	3 (1.5%)	4 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.5%)	39.8	138^th of 216 public elementary schools	36.1%		65.8	53^rd of 217 public elementary schools	75.6%	85	59.0	49.0	29.5	59.0	39.0	39.5	44.0	39.5	39.5	29.5	19.5	49.5	39.5	35.5	29.5	59.0	39.0	$13,558	$1,039	$12,520

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.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School?

Students at Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School are 98% White, 1% Hispanic.

Is Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School a good school?

Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School ranks 92^nd of 216 North Dakota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 140 students attended Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Fessenden-Bowdon High School

What district is Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School in?

Fessenden-Bowdon 25

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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.