Richland County Schools & Education
Richland County, North Dakota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
43/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
82.7%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
82.7%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 84.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,388
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,385
School Score
43/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 54/100
State Score Position
#44
of 53 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Richland County
Measured School Summary
Richland County has midrange measured school signals (score: 43/100) with a graduation rate of 82.7%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Richland County spends $8,388 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 20% below the North Dakota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 11% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Richland 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
14 public schools and 6 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
43/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #44 of 53 North Dakota counties with school score data.
Completion
82.7%
2.1 pts below the state average
Funding context
$8,388
$997 below the state average
School coverage
14
6 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
Richland County has 14 public schools across 6 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.
What Richland 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.
Mixed school landscape
Richland County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#44
of 53 North Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 11 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.
WAHPETON 37
Elementary to high school visible
1,201 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
RICHLAND 44
Elementary and high visible
286 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
WYNDMERE 42
Elementary and high visible
265 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
HANKINSON 8
Elementary and high visible
237 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
WAHPETON 37 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 Richland County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Richland County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Richland 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.
Diverse Schooling Options in Richland
Richland County features a large educational footprint with 14 public schools and six separate districts. These schools serve 2,277 students through seven elementary, one middle, and six high school facilities.
Monitoring Academic Growth and Funding
The county's graduation rate is 82.7%, slightly behind the state average of 84.8%. Per-pupil expenditure is $8,388, which is about $1,000 less than the state average and $4,600 below the national median.
Wahpeton 37 Anchors the County
Wahpeton 37 is the largest district by far, managing four schools and 1,201 students. Other significant districts include Richland 44 and Wyndmere 42, all of which are traditional public districts with no charter schools present.
A Mix of Town and Rural Settings
While 10 schools are in rural areas, four serve the town of Wahpeton, creating an average school size of 163 students. Wahpeton Elementary is the largest with 436 students, offering a more traditional town-school feel compared to smaller rural counterparts.
School Overview
Total Schools
14
in Richland County
Reported Enrollment
2,277
14 schools reporting
School Districts
6
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
6 School Districts in Richland County
WAHPETON 37
RICHLAND 44
WYNDMERE 42
HANKINSON 8
LIDGERWOOD 28
FAIRMOUNT 18
14 Public Schools in Richland 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 dataLevel
Showing 14 of 14 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAHPETON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | WAHPETON 37 | Wahpeton, 58074Town: Distant | 1–5 | Primary | 436 |
| WAHPETON HIGH SCHOOL | Record | WAHPETON 37 | Wahpeton, 58074Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 388 |
| WAHPETON MIDDLE SCHOOL | Record | WAHPETON 37 | Wahpeton, 58074Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 267 |
| RICHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | RICHLAND 44 | Abercrombie, 58001Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 173 |
| WYNDMERE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | WYNDMERE 42 | Wyndmere, 58081Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 152 |
| HANKINSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | HANKINSON 8 | Hankinson, 58041Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 131 |
| RICHLAND JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | Record | RICHLAND 44 | Colfax, 58018Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 113 |
| WYNDMERE HIGH SCHOOL | Record | WYNDMERE 42 | Wyndmere, 58081Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 113 |
| ZIMMERMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | WAHPETON 37 | Wahpeton, 58074Town: Distant | PK–KG | Primary | 110 |
| HANKINSON HIGH SCHOOL | Record | HANKINSON 8 | Hankinson, 58041Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 106 |
| LIDGERWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | LIDGERWOOD 28 | Lidgerwood, 58053Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 99 |
| LIDGERWOOD HIGH SCHOOL | Record | LIDGERWOOD 28 | Lidgerwood, 58053Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 85 |
| FAIRMOUNT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | FAIRMOUNT 18 | Fairmount, 58030Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 55 |
| FAIRMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL | Record | FAIRMOUNT 18 | Fairmount, 58030Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 49 |
RICHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
RICHLAND 44
Abercrombie, 58001 / Rural: Distant
RICHLAND JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
RICHLAND 44
Colfax, 58018 / Rural: Distant
LIDGERWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
LIDGERWOOD 28
Lidgerwood, 58053 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,388
State avg $9,385
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Richland County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which North Dakota counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in North Dakota?
How should I read the school score in Richland County?
What is the graduation rate in Richland County?
How much does Richland County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Richland County, North Dakota — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Richland County, North Dakota?
Richland County features a large educational footprint with 14 public schools and six separate districts. These schools serve 2,277 students through seven elementary, one middle, and six high school facilities.
How do schools in Richland County perform academically?
The county's graduation rate is 82.7%, slightly behind the state average of 84.8%. Per-pupil expenditure is $8,388, which is about $1,000 less than the state average and $4,600 below the national median.
What are the major school districts in Richland County, North Dakota?
Wahpeton 37 is the largest district by far, managing four schools and 1,201 students. Other significant districts include Richland 44 and Wyndmere 42, all of which are traditional public districts with no charter schools present.
What is the school experience like in Richland County?
While 10 schools are in rural areas, four serve the town of Wahpeton, creating an average school size of 163 students. Wahpeton Elementary is the largest with 436 students, offering a more traditional town-school feel compared to smaller rural counterparts.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.