Public schools in Fargo, ND
31 open public schools with an address in Fargo, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
31
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
13,774
31 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
11.6:1
North Dakota median 10.6:1
Charter schools
0
2 virtual
An overview of Fargo public schools
The federal directory lists 31 public schools in Fargo, ND: 21 elementary, 4 middle, 5 high, 1 combined or other. The 31 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 13,774 students, an average of 444 per school. The largest campus is Fargo Davies High School (1,277 students), and the largest elementary school is Centennial Elementary School (639).
Fargo 1 operates the most schools here (26), and 2 regular districts have at least one Fargo campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 11.6:1, higher than the statewide school median of 10.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 2 virtual schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 5 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 36% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Fargo
Elementary schools in Fargo
21Middle schools in Fargo
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Franklin Middle School Fargo 1 | 06–08 | 873 | 12.1:1 | |
| Carl Ben Eielson Middle School Fargo 1 | 06–08 | 677 | 11.6:1 | |
| Discovery Middle School Fargo 1 | 06–08 | 992 | 13.4:1 | |
| Self-Directed Academy Fargo 1 | 05–08 | 16 | 2.3:1 |
High schools in Fargo
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota High School Fargo 1 | 09–12 | 127 | 12.8:1 | |
| Fargo 9-12 Virtual Academy Fargo 1 · Virtual | 09–12 | 113 | 26.3:1 | |
| Fargo Davies High School Fargo 1 | 09–12 | 1,277 | 13.3:1 | |
| North High School Fargo 1 | 09–12 | 1,110 | 13.2:1 | |
| South High School Fargo 1 | 09–12 | 898 | 11.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Fargo
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Special Education School Fargo 1 | PK–PK | 162 | 8.9:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White63.1%
- Hispanic7.7%
- Black16.5%
- Asian4.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native2.6%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial5.4%
Enrollment-weighted across 31 Fargo schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (13,774 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Fargo
How many public schools are in Fargo, ND?
The current NCES directory lists 31 open public schools with a location address in Fargo: 21 elementary, 4 middle, 5 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 13,774 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Fargo?
Schools with an address in Fargo belong to 2 education agencies, led by Fargo 1 (26 schools), West Fargo 6 (5 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Fargo?
Fargo Davies High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Fargo, with 1,277 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Fargo?
No school with an address in Fargo is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in North Dakota.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Fargo schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Fargo public schools is 11.6:1, higher than the North Dakota school median of 10.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Fargo guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby North Dakota cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All North Dakota cities