schoolsbycounty

Dickey County Schools & Education

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

93.4%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

93.4%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 84.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,522

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,385

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 54/100

State Score Position

#25

of 53 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Dickey County

Measured School Summary

Dickey County performs at an average level with a school score of 52/100 and a solid graduation rate of 93.4%.

Funding Context

At $6,522 per pupil, Dickey County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 3% below the North Dakota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 8.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 31% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Dickey County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

6 public schools and 2 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

52/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #25 of 53 North Dakota counties with school score data.

Completion

93.4%

8.6 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,522

$2,863 below the state average

School coverage

6

2 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Dickey County has 6 public schools across 2 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Dickey County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Small-system county

Dickey County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#25

of 53 North Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 2 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

OAKES 41

Elementary and high visible

491 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

ELLENDALE 40

Elementary and high visible

339 students

Elementary 2Middle 0High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

ELLENDALE 40 is the largest listed district slice, with 4 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Dickey County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Dickey County district systems?

Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Dickey County, North Dakota

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Dedicated Rural Districts Serving the South

Dickey County manages 6 public schools through 2 distinct districts, educating a total of 830 students. The system is comprised of 3 elementary and 3 high schools, with no charter options available. The infrastructure is entirely rural, serving a sprawling agricultural community.

Oakes and Ellendale Support Local Students

The Oakes 41 district is the county's largest, enrolling 491 students across its two main schools. Ellendale 40 serves 339 students and manages 4 schools, including the specialized Maple River Colony School. These districts ensure educational access for families across the county's southern plains.

The Classic Rural School Experience

With all 6 schools located in rural settings, the average enrollment is a modest 138 students per school. Oakes Elementary is the largest facility with 257 students, while the Maple River Colony School serves just 50 students. This landscape offers a traditional, quiet educational setting for growing families.

School Overview

Total Schools

6

in Dickey County

Reported Enrollment

830

6 schools reporting

School Districts

2

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary3
Middle0
High3
Other0

2 School Districts in Dickey County

OAKES 41

2 schools
491 students

ELLENDALE 40

4 schools
339 students

6 Public Schools in Dickey County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 6 of 6 matching schools

OAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

OAKES 41

Oakes, 58474 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary257 students

OAKES HIGH SCHOOL

OAKES 41

Oakes, 58474 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High234 students

ELLENDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ELLENDALE 40

Ellendale, 58436 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary192 students

ELLENDALE HIGH SCHOOL

ELLENDALE 40

Ellendale, 58436 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High91 students

MAPLE RIVER COLONY SCHOOL

ELLENDALE 40

Ellendale, 58436 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary50 students

ELLENDALE HIGH VIRTUAL ACADEMY

ELLENDALE 40

Ellendale, 58436 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12Virtual6 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,522

State avg $9,385

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Dickey County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which North Dakota counties have the highest graduation rates?
Mercer County (95.0%), Pierce County (95.0%), and Dickey County (93.4%) currently lead North Dakota among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in North Dakota?
Across North Dakota counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,385. The highest current county values are Steele County ($16,783), Sioux County ($14,627), and Burke County ($12,732). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Dickey County?
Dickey County has a school score of 52/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Dickey County?
The high school graduation rate in Dickey County is 93.4%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Dickey County spend per student?
Dickey County spends $6,522 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Dickey County, North Dakota — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Dickey County, North Dakota?

Dickey County manages 6 public schools through 2 distinct districts, educating a total of 830 students. The system is comprised of 3 elementary and 3 high schools, with no charter options available. The infrastructure is entirely rural, serving a sprawling agricultural community.

What are the major school districts in Dickey County, North Dakota?

The Oakes 41 district is the county's largest, enrolling 491 students across its two main schools. Ellendale 40 serves 339 students and manages 4 schools, including the specialized Maple River Colony School. These districts ensure educational access for families across the county's southern plains.

What is the school experience like in Dickey County?

With all 6 schools located in rural settings, the average enrollment is a modest 138 students per school. Oakes Elementary is the largest facility with 257 students, while the Maple River Colony School serves just 50 students. This landscape offers a traditional, quiet educational setting for growing families.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.