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North Star High School

Public Grades 9-12

118^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 125 North Dakota High Schools

Better than 6% of North Dakota high schools

Summary

North Star High School is a public high school in Cando, North Dakota, serving 76 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the North Star 10 school district, which is ranked 93 out of 134 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

North Star High School's performance has been inconsistent, with its four-year graduation rates fluctuating between 78.6% and 86.4% over the past few years. While these rates are generally above the state average, they lag behind the nearby Leeds High School, which had an 84.2% graduation rate in 2024-2025. Academically, North Star High School's proficiency rates in state assessments are below the state and district averages, with only 10% of 10th-grade students proficient or better in Math, compared to 22% statewide. The school's per-student spending has increased from $10,220 in 2018-2019 to $12,637 in 2021-2022, but this is still lower than the nearby Starkweather High School, which spent $27,649 per student in 2021-2022.

Despite these challenges, North Star High School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.5 to 8.8 over the past few years, which is lower than the nearby Leeds High School's ratio of 6.8 in 2023-2024. The school's performance may be influenced by factors such as its high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which suggests a population with lower socioeconomic status. Understanding the school's context and comparing it to nearby schools can provide valuable insights for school improvement efforts.

Students ?

8.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,624

Per pupil spending ?

25%

Free/discounted lunch ?

418 2nd Ave
Cando, ND 58324

(701) 968-4416

District: North Star 10

Feeder schools for North Star High School:

Elementary:

North Star Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.2%

Hispanic:

5.3%

Two or more races:

2.6%

See top rated North Dakota high schools

Compare North Star High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 95th percentile in 2016 → 6th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Dakota average (20% vs 40% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (6th percentile)

!Graduation rate below the North Dakota average (79% vs 84%)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school20%

District avg43%

North Dakota avg40%

118^th of 125

North Dakota public high schools ?

Bottom 6%▼ down 90 pts since 2015

From top 5% (2015) to bottom 6% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Dakota High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

93^rd of 134North Star 10 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Dakota percentile	Rating
2025	14.7	118 of 125	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	50.6	60 of 122	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	83.1	12 of 125	90.4%	★★★★★
2022	60.8	34 of 121	71.9%	★★★★☆
2021	63.6	31 of 118	73.7%	★★★★☆
2020	15.7	108 of 117	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	15.7	108 of 117	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	79.0	13 of 120	89.2%	★★★★☆
2017	59.0	42 of 114	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	87.6	6 of 118	94.9%	★★★★★
2015	91.2	5 of 105	95.2%	★★★★★
2014	82.7	11 of 122	91.0%	★★★★★
2013	85.2	6 of 122	95.1%	★★★★★
2012	63.4	50 of 126	60.3%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs North Dakota (2024-2025) ?

Reading30%-10 vs state

Science20%-18 vs state

Math10%-31 vs state

★

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Schools Near North Star High 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 10th Grade	A-Plus Math All Grades	A-Plus Reading 10th Grade	A-Plus Reading All Grades	A-Plus Science 10th Grade	A-Plus Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
North Star High School	Public	9-12	418 2nd Ave	Cando	58324	Towner County	North Star 10	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(701) 968-4416	76	9	8.8	25.0%	67 (88.2%)	1 (1.3%)	4 (5.3%)	1 (1.3%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.6%)	14.7	118^th of 125 public high schools	5.6%		50.6	60^th of 122 public high schools	50.8%	58	10.0	10.0	29.5	29.5	19.5	19.5	$13,624	$826	$12,798
Starkweather High School	Public	7-12	505 E Main Street	Starkweather	58377	Ramsey County	Starkweather 44	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(701) 292-4381	25	4	5.7	24.0%	23 (92.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (8.0%)								(n/a)							$21,211	$24	$21,187
Leeds High School	Public	9-12	530 1st St SE	Leeds	58346	Benson County	Leeds 6	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(701) 466-2461	30	5	6.1	30.0%	28 (93.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							$18,241	$1,115	$17,127

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 North Star High School

What is the racial makeup of North Star High School?

Students at North Star High School are 88% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% African American, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian.

What schools feed into North Star High School?

North Star High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : North Star Elementary School

How many students attend North Star High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 76 students attended North Star High School.

What district is North Star High School in?

North Star 10

Is North Star High School a good school?

North Star High School ranks in the bottom 5.6% of North Dakota high schools.

Rate North Star High School!

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NDNorth Dakota High School Rankings

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Schools in Cando, ND

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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.