schoolsbycounty

Steele County Schools & Education

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

75.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

75.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 84.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$16,783

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,385

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 54/100

State Score Position

#26

of 53 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Steele County

Measured School Summary

Steele County has midrange measured school signals (score: 52/100) with a graduation rate of 75.0%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

With $16,783 per pupil, Steele County has adequate funding that generally covers core educational needs and some supplemental services.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 4% below the North Dakota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 9.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 79% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Steele 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

3 public schools and 1 district 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 #26 of 53 North Dakota counties with school score data.

Completion

75.0%

9.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$16,783

$7,398 above the state average

School coverage

3

1 district 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

Steele County has 3 public schools across 1 district, 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 Steele 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

Steele 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

#26

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.

FINLEY-SHARON 19

Elementary and high visible

90 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

FINLEY-SHARON 19 is the largest listed district slice, with 2 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 Steele County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

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

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 Steele 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.

Streamlined Schools in Steele County

Steele County provides education to 149 students through three public schools. The infrastructure includes one elementary school and two high schools, ensuring residents have access to local secondary education.

Finley-Sharon District Focus

The Finley-Sharon 19 district is the primary provider, operating two of the county's three schools for 90 students. No charter schools are available, as the county maintains a traditional public school focus.

Quiet Rural Classrooms

Every school in the county is rural, and the average school size is a compact 50 students. Hope Page High School is the largest campus with 59 students, while Finley-Sharon's elementary and high schools each serve 45.

School Overview

Total Schools

3

in Steele County

Reported Enrollment

149

3 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary1
Middle0
High2
Other0

1 School District in Steele County

FINLEY-SHARON 19

2 schools
90 students enrolled

3 Public Schools in Steele 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 3 of 3 matching schools

HOPE PAGE HIGH SCHOOL

HOPE-PAGE 85

Hope, 58046 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High59 students

FINLEY-SHARON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

FINLEY-SHARON 19

Finley, 58230 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–6Primary45 students

FINLEY-SHARON HIGH SCHOOL

FINLEY-SHARON 19

Finley, 58230 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High45 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$16,783

State avg $9,385

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Steele 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.

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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 Steele County?
Steele 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 Steele County?
The high school graduation rate in Steele County is 75.0%, which is below 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 Steele County spend per student?
Steele County spends $16,783 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 Steele County, North Dakota — FAQ

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

Steele County provides education to 149 students through three public schools. The infrastructure includes one elementary school and two high schools, ensuring residents have access to local secondary education.

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

The Finley-Sharon 19 district is the primary provider, operating two of the county's three schools for 90 students. No charter schools are available, as the county maintains a traditional public school focus.

What is the school experience like in Steele County?

Every school in the county is rural, and the average school size is a compact 50 students. Hope Page High School is the largest campus with 59 students, while Finley-Sharon's elementary and high schools each serve 45.

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.