Walsh County Schools & Education
Walsh County, North Dakota
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
37/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
86.8%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
86.8%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 84.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,142
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,385
School Score
37/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 54/100
State Score Position
#49
of 53 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Walsh County
Measured School Summary
Walsh County faces educational challenges with a school score of 37/100 and a graduation rate of 86.8%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $7,142 per pupil, Walsh County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 32% below the North Dakota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 24% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Walsh 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
11 public schools and 5 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
37/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #49 of 53 North Dakota counties with school score data.
Completion
86.8%
2.0 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,142
$2,243 below the state average
School coverage
11
5 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Walsh County has 11 public schools across 5 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 Walsh 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.
Review-carefully county
Walsh County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#49
of 53 North Dakota counties with school score data. The county score is 17 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.
GRAFTON 18
Elementary to high school visible
949 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
PARK RIVER AREA 8
Elementary and high visible
484 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
MINTO 20
Elementary and high visible
308 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
VALLEY-EDINBURG 118
Elementary and high visible
163 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
GRAFTON 18 is the largest listed district slice, with 3 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 Walsh County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Walsh 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 Walsh 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.
A Diverse Network of Five Districts
Walsh County educates 1,954 students through a network of 11 public schools managed by five districts. The infrastructure includes five elementary schools and five high schools, balancing primary and secondary education.
Solid Graduation Rates on a Lean Budget
The county maintains an 86.8% graduation rate, which is higher than the North Dakota average of 84.8%. This performance comes despite a per-pupil expenditure of $7,142, which is lower than the state and national averages.
Grafton District Anchors the County
Grafton 18 is the largest district by far, serving 949 students across three schools. No charter schools operate in the county, as traditional public districts manage all local enrollment.
A Blend of Town and Rural Schools
While eight schools are in rural settings, three are located in town locales, offering a mix of educational environments. Century Elementary is the largest school with 540 students, while smaller schools like those in the Fordville-Lankin district offer much smaller cohorts.
School Overview
Total Schools
11
in Walsh County
Reported Enrollment
1,954
11 schools reporting
School Districts
5
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
5 School Districts in Walsh County
GRAFTON 18
PARK RIVER AREA 8
MINTO 20
VALLEY-EDINBURG 118
FORDVILLE-LANKIN 5
11 Public Schools in Walsh 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 11 of 11 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CENTURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | GRAFTON 18 | Grafton, 58237Town: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 540 |
| PARK RIVER AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | PARK RIVER AREA 8 | Park River, 58270Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 288 |
| GRAFTON HIGH SCHOOL | Record | GRAFTON 18 | Grafton, 58237Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 284 |
| MINTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | MINTO 20 | Minto, 58261Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 225 |
| PARK RIVER AREA HIGH SCHOOL | Record | PARK RIVER AREA 8 | Park River, 58270Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 196 |
| GRAFTON JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | Record | GRAFTON 18 | Grafton, 58237Town: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 125 |
| MINTO HIGH SCHOOL | Record | MINTO 20 | Minto, 58261Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 83 |
| VALLEY-EDINBURG HIGH SCHOOL | Record | VALLEY-EDINBURG 118 | Edinburg, 58227Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 82 |
| VALLEY-EDINBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-HOOPLE | Record | VALLEY-EDINBURG 118 | Hoople, 58243Rural: Remote | PK–2 | Primary | 81 |
| FORDVILLE-LANKIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | FORDVILLE-LANKIN 5 | Fordville, 58231Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 36 |
| FORDVILLE-LANKIN HIGH SCHOOL | Record | FORDVILLE-LANKIN 5 | Fordville, 58231Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 14 |
PARK RIVER AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
PARK RIVER AREA 8
Park River, 58270 / Rural: Remote
PARK RIVER AREA HIGH SCHOOL
PARK RIVER AREA 8
Park River, 58270 / Rural: Remote
VALLEY-EDINBURG HIGH SCHOOL
VALLEY-EDINBURG 118
Edinburg, 58227 / Rural: Remote
VALLEY-EDINBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-HOOPLE
VALLEY-EDINBURG 118
Hoople, 58243 / Rural: Remote
FORDVILLE-LANKIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
FORDVILLE-LANKIN 5
Fordville, 58231 / Rural: Remote
FORDVILLE-LANKIN HIGH SCHOOL
FORDVILLE-LANKIN 5
Fordville, 58231 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,142
State avg $9,385
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Walsh 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 Walsh County?
What is the graduation rate in Walsh County?
How much does Walsh County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Walsh County, North Dakota — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Walsh County, North Dakota?
Walsh County educates 1,954 students through a network of 11 public schools managed by five districts. The infrastructure includes five elementary schools and five high schools, balancing primary and secondary education.
How do schools in Walsh County perform academically?
The county maintains an 86.8% graduation rate, which is higher than the North Dakota average of 84.8%. This performance comes despite a per-pupil expenditure of $7,142, which is lower than the state and national averages.
What are the major school districts in Walsh County, North Dakota?
Grafton 18 is the largest district by far, serving 949 students across three schools. No charter schools operate in the county, as traditional public districts manage all local enrollment.
What is the school experience like in Walsh County?
While eight schools are in rural settings, three are located in town locales, offering a mix of educational environments. Century Elementary is the largest school with 540 students, while smaller schools like those in the Fordville-Lankin district offer much smaller cohorts.
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.