While the U.S. is one of the most educated countries in the world, it doesn’t provide the same quality elementary school or secondary school education to all students. In many states, more affluent school districts receive a greater amount of funding per student than poorer districts.
Discrepancies between the rich and poor have been exacerbated even more this year by the COVID-19 pandemic. As states decide whether their school districts will have in-person learning this fall, studies show that low-income students will suffer the greatest “learning loss” due to partial or total remote learning. One contributing factor is that people in low-income districts are less likely to have the technological resources they need.
States that provide equitable funding to all school districts can help prevent poor students from having lower graduation rates, lower rates of pursuing higher education and smaller future incomes than their wealthy peers. The difference is dramatic: College graduates have $460 - $1,154 higher median weekly earnings than people with a high school diploma and no college experience, depending on the degree.
North Dakota has the 18th least equitable school districts in the U.S. overall, but some districts within the state are fairer than others. To find out where school funding is distributed most equitably, WalletHub scored 172 districts in North Dakota based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil. Read on for the district ranking and a complete description of our methodology.
Main Findings
Note: For visual purposes, we included only the top 7 school districts by enrollment from each category. Rank 1 on the “Expenditures Ranking” means highest expenditures and Rank 1 on “Income Ranking” means lowest income.
Most & Least Equitable School Districts in North Dakota
| Rank* | School District | Score | Expeditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools per Pupil | Income by School District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TGU School District #60 | 0.01 | $17,735 | $61,477 |
| 2 | Northern Cass School District 97 | 0.47 | $11,679 | $84,773 |
| 3 | Grenora School District 99 | 0.82 | $17,196 | $64,107 |
| 4 | Maddock Special School District 9 | 1.03 | $18,430 | $59,432 |
| 5 | Drayton School District 19 | 1.53 | $14,457 | $73,250 |
| 6 | Kulm Public School District #7 | 1.63 | $18,064 | $61,250 |
| 7 | Valley-Edinburg School District 118 | 2.09 | $17,281 | $61,875 |
| 8 | Hebron Public School District 13 | 2.11 | $16,284 | $65,750 |
| 9 | Hazen Public School District 3 | 3.12 | $11,965 | $86,000 |
| 10 | Solen School District #3 | 3.15 | $22,927 | $39,167 |
| 11 | Kenmare School District 28 | 3.26 | $15,401 | $68,438 |
| 12 | Williston Public School District 1 | 3.36 | $10,793 | $86,342 |
| 13 | Glen Ullin Public School District 48 | 3.52 | $19,418 | $52,604 |
| 14 | Kindred School District 2 | 3.70 | $9,286 | $91,992 |
| 15 | Fairmount Public School District 18 | 5.35 | $20,581 | $53,864 |
| 16 | Drake School District 57 | 5.42 | $22,226 | $47,500 |
| 17 | Wyndmere Public School District #42 | 5.47 | $13,321 | $75,104 |
| 18 | Glenburn Special School District 26 | 5.51 | $15,184 | $67,813 |
| 19 | North Sargent Public School District 3 | 5.58 | $15,631 | $73,313 |
| 20 | Mckenzie County School District 1 | 5.58 | $10,808 | $84,833 |
| 21 | Yellowstone School District 14 | 5.77 | $17,649 | $58,036 |
| 22 | Wilton Public School District 1 | 6.66 | $12,437 | $77,772 |
| 23 | Washburn Public School District 4 | 6.73 | $12,184 | $78,718 |
| 24 | Nesson School District 2 | 7.24 | $13,693 | $72,500 |
| 25 | Richardton-Taylor School District 34 | 7.34 | $13,997 | $80,833 |
| 26 | Hankinson Public School District 8 | 7.42 | $14,091 | $70,833 |
| 27 | Midway Public School District 128 | 7.49 | $17,267 | $68,182 |
| 28 | Powers Lake School District 27 | 7.49 | $16,770 | $70,125 |
| 29 | Manvel School District 125 | 7.61 | $10,297 | $85,500 |
| 30 | New Town School District 1 | 7.84 | $13,731 | $71,960 |
| 31 | Lewis And Clark School District 161 | 8.00 | $15,029 | $66,793 |
| 32 | United Public School District 7 | 8.19 | $12,122 | $88,702 |
| 33 | Flasher School District 39 | 8.36 | $14,124 | $70,089 |
| 34 | Montpelier School District 14 | 8.37 | $13,583 | $83,125 |
| 35 | St. Thomas Special School District #43 | 8.72 | $20,574 | $56,094 |
| 36 | Garrison Public School District 51 | 9.31 | $13,641 | $71,350 |
| 37 | Eight Mile Special School District 6 | 9.41 | $13,354 | $72,404 |
| 38 | Langdon Area Public School District #23 | 9.46 | $14,216 | $69,013 |
| 39 | Scranton Special School District 33 | 9.65 | $18,216 | $65,893 |
| 40 | Killdeer School District 16 | 9.87 | $13,733 | $70,625 |
| 41 | Oberon Special School District 16 | 9.91 | $16,559 | $59,583 |
| 42 | Gackle-Streeter School District 56 | 9.94 | $18,311 | $52,727 |
| 43 | Mohall Lansford Sherwood School District 1 | 10.12 | $14,195 | $68,663 |
| 44 | Anamoose School District 14 | 10.59 | $15,514 | $63,214 |
| 45 | Surrey School District 41 | 10.75 | $13,474 | $85,104 |
| 46 | North Border School District 100 | 10.80 | $18,390 | $65,964 |
| 47 | Richland Public School District 44 | 10.91 | $13,879 | $83,625 |
| 48 | Lone Tree School District 6 | 10.93 | $22,250 | $51,000 |
| 49 | Minnewaukan School District #5 | 11.18 | $17,740 | $68,750 |
| 50 | Center Stanton Public School District 1 | 11.54 | $15,262 | $63,571 |
| 51 | Beulah School District 27 | 11.80 | $11,202 | $79,236 |
| 52 | Selfridge School District #8 | 11.96 | $23,400 | $47,188 |
| 53 | Dickinson School District 1 | 12.09 | $11,927 | $76,220 |
| 54 | Menoken School District 33 | 12.24 | $13,108 | $87,500 |
| 55 | Wing Special School District 28 | 12.35 | $18,978 | $64,688 |
| 56 | Kensal Special School District 19 | 12.46 | $17,894 | $52,708 |
| 57 | Litchville Marion School District 46 | 12.47 | $20,120 | $60,313 |
| 58 | Central Cass School District 17 | 13.03 | $10,257 | $82,115 |
| 59 | Central Val School District 3 | 13.32 | $13,566 | $86,420 |
| 60 | Strasburg Public School District 15 | 13.50 | $17,613 | $53,125 |
| 61 | Nedrose School District 4 | 13.51 | $10,478 | $80,938 |
| 62 | Alexander School District #2 | 14.14 | $13,289 | $88,036 |
| 63 | Sargent Cent School District 6 | 14.24 | $19,930 | $62,212 |
| 64 | Westhope Public School District 17 | 14.30 | $17,348 | $53,636 |
| 65 | Maple Valley School District #4 | 14.73 | $21,423 | $56,711 |
| 66 | Bowman School District 1 | 14.88 | $14,359 | $64,911 |
| 67 | Divide County School District #1 | 15.16 | $15,829 | $59,000 |
| 68 | Page School District 80 | 15.45 | $16,817 | $75,139 |
| 69 | Barnes County North School District 7 | 15.51 | $13,951 | $66,094 |
| 70 | Midkota School District 7 | 15.57 | $16,556 | $55,893 |
| 71 | Leeds Public School District 6 | 15.75 | $16,628 | $55,500 |
| 72 | Fort Yates School District #4 | 15.99 | $20,292 | $41,058 |
| 73 | Milnor Public School District 2 | 16.00 | $14,541 | $63,472 |
| 74 | Warwick Special School District 29 | 16.63 | $19,173 | $45,000 |
| 75 | Beach School District 3 | 16.65 | $16,242 | $56,413 |
| 76 | Lakota Public School District 66 | 16.68 | $18,019 | $49,464 |
| 77 | Enderlin Area School District 24 | 16.94 | $14,613 | $62,574 |
| 78 | Mapleton School District 7 | 17.00 | $15,596 | $80,909 |
| 79 | West Fargo School District 6 | 17.64 | $12,118 | $71,851 |
| 80 | Turtle Lake Mercer School District 72 | 17.66 | $16,203 | $55,909 |
| 81 | Parshall Special School District 3 | 17.86 | $17,470 | $74,167 |
| 82 | Lamoure School District #8 | 18.16 | $13,774 | $65,054 |
| 83 | Stanley Public School District 2 | 18.19 | $13,170 | $67,390 |
| 84 | Northwood School District 129 | 18.22 | $12,907 | $68,393 |
| 85 | Emerado Public School District 127 | 18.70 | $13,377 | $66,250 |
| 86 | South Prairie School District 70 | 18.89 | $11,450 | $73,636 |
| 87 | Belfield School District 13 | 18.90 | $12,996 | $67,604 |
| 88 | Bakker School District 10 | 19.16 | $21,091 | $60,893 |
| 89 | Dakota Prairie School District 1 | 19.67 | $16,900 | $51,875 |
| 90 | Bismarck School District 1 | 19.99 | $12,334 | $69,469 |
| 91 | Thompson School District 61 | 20.31 | $9,070 | $108,519 |
| 92 | Medina Public School District 3 | 20.96 | $14,494 | $60,417 |
| 93 | Fessenden Bowdon School District 25 | 21.01 | $14,853 | $58,984 |
| 94 | Williams County School District 8 | 21.41 | $11,430 | $100,035 |
| 95 | Minot Special School District 1 | 22.33 | $12,949 | $65,546 |
| 96 | Mt Pleasant School District 4 | 22.36 | $14,985 | $57,589 |
| 97 | Rolette Special School District 29 | 22.43 | $18,937 | $42,132 |
| 98 | Fort Ransom School District 6 | 22.78 | $18,000 | $75,313 |
| 99 | Wishek School District #19 | 22.91 | $15,820 | $53,969 |
| 100 | Sweet Briar School District 17 | 23.29 | $8,600 | $81,875 |
| 101 | Tioga School District 15 | 23.89 | $16,309 | $82,632 |
| 102 | Wolford Public School District 1 | 24.10 | $25,114 | $48,438 |
| 103 | Hatton Public School District 7 | 24.33 | $13,983 | $60,208 |
| 104 | Mandan Public School District 1 | 24.94 | $11,863 | $68,076 |
| 105 | Underwood Public School District 8 | 26.04 | $13,384 | $61,429 |
| 106 | Kidder County School District 1 | 26.51 | $14,212 | $57,891 |
| 107 | Mott-Regent School District 1 | 26.55 | $15,634 | $52,321 |
| 108 | St. John School District 3 | 27.00 | $15,949 | $50,795 |
| 109 | New England School District 9 | 27.33 | $12,472 | $64,141 |
| 110 | Edgeley Public School District 3 | 27.39 | $14,486 | $56,250 |
| 111 | Napoleon School District 2 | 27.40 | $14,335 | $56,827 |
| 112 | Velva Special School District 1 | 27.47 | $11,586 | $67,500 |
| 113 | South Heart School District 9 | 27.70 | $12,689 | $99,231 |
| 114 | Pingree-Buchanan School District 10 | 27.75 | $14,837 | $90,893 |
| 115 | Griggs County Central 18 | 27.96 | $14,551 | $55,625 |
| 116 | Max School District 50 | 28.61 | $14,182 | $56,635 |
| 117 | Oakes Public School District 41 | 29.15 | $11,044 | $68,516 |
| 118 | Hazelton Moffit Braddock Public School District 6 | 29.83 | $16,770 | $45,750 |
| 119 | Munich Public School District 19 | 30.73 | $23,389 | $59,489 |
| 120 | Hillsboro School District 9 | 32.54 | $11,539 | $64,375 |
| 121 | Linton Public School District 36 | 33.42 | $15,411 | $48,704 |
| 122 | Elgin-New Leipzig Public School District 49 | 33.58 | $16,110 | $45,875 |
| 123 | Lidgerwood Special School District #28 | 33.83 | $14,330 | $52,647 |
| 124 | Apple Creek School District 39 | 34.15 | $12,571 | $103,906 |
| 125 | Bottineau Public School District 1 | 34.38 | $13,145 | $56,908 |
| 126 | Cavalier School District 6 | 35.54 | $10,689 | $65,732 |
| 127 | Harvey School District 38 | 35.58 | $13,095 | $56,324 |
| 128 | Fargo School District 1 | 35.82 | $13,832 | $53,292 |
| 129 | Starkweather Public School District 44 | 35.98 | $24,245 | $59,583 |
| 130 | Devils Lake Public School District 1 | 36.00 | $12,993 | $56,448 |
| 131 | Marmarth School District #12 | 36.57 | $16,867 | $40,972 |
| 132 | Lisbon Special School District 19 | 36.57 | $11,328 | $62,566 |
| 133 | Sterling School District 35 | 36.58 | $25,682 | $54,375 |
| 134 | Jamestown Public School District 1 | 36.80 | $12,779 | $56,759 |
| 135 | Minto Special School District 20 | 37.20 | $10,989 | $63,478 |
| 136 | Larimore Public School District 44 | 38.08 | $12,260 | $57,946 |
| 137 | Hettinger Public School District 13 | 38.98 | $13,252 | $53,487 |
| 138 | Ashley School District 9 | 39.16 | $14,893 | $46,974 |
| 139 | Roosevelt School District 18 | 40.27 | $26,745 | $52,639 |
| 140 | May Port School District 14 | 41.47 | $11,881 | $57,210 |
| 141 | Finley-Sharon School District 19 | 41.57 | $24,434 | $62,500 |
| 142 | Wahpeton Public School District #37 | 44.83 | $11,617 | $56,047 |
| 143 | North Star School District 10 | 46.81 | $12,217 | $52,411 |
| 144 | Grand Forks Public School District 1 | 47.04 | $13,182 | $48,501 |
| 145 | Burke Central School District 36 | 47.30 | $22,828 | $72,500 |
| 146 | Dunseith School District 1 | 47.64 | $15,627 | $38,571 |
| 147 | New Rockford Sheyenne 2 | 47.85 | $13,003 | $48,667 |
| 148 | Little Heart School District 4 | 48.02 | $12,048 | $115,000 |
| 149 | Valley City School District #2 | 49.66 | $11,656 | $52,739 |
| 150 | Naughton School District 25 | 49.97 | $19,000 | $89,167 |
| 151 | Edmore Public School District 2 | 50.11 | $28,375 | $52,708 |
| 152 | Manning School District 45 | 50.29 | $12,643 | $114,167 |
| 153 | White Shield School District 85 | 50.52 | $15,580 | $36,875 |
| 154 | Ellendale Special School District 40 | 52.62 | $11,863 | $50,000 |
| 155 | Mcclusky School District #19 | 56.00 | $15,887 | $32,100 |
| 156 | Newburg United School District 54 | 56.23 | $23,342 | $76,328 |
| 157 | Fort Totten School District 30 | 56.32 | $17,552 | $25,402 |
| 158 | Bowbells Public School District 14 | 56.35 | $22,635 | $79,167 |
| 159 | Hope Public School District 10 | 56.93 | $28,639 | $56,136 |
| 160 | Belcourt School District 7 | 57.60 | $15,549 | $32,375 |
| 161 | Zeeland Public School District 4 | 57.65 | $28,088 | $58,750 |
| 162 | Grafton Public School District 3 | 58.64 | $10,590 | $51,027 |
| 163 | Rugby School District 5 | 59.13 | $12,081 | $44,899 |
| 164 | Fordville-Lankin School District 5 | 65.67 | $29,775 | $57,411 |
| 165 | Goodrich School District #16 | 70.91 | $30,870 | $56,563 |
| 166 | Mandaree School District 36 | 72.43 | $32,615 | $50,750 |
| 167 | Twin Buttes School District #37 | 74.92 | $30,340 | $61,250 |
| 168 | Halliday Public School District 19 | 79.06 | $30,167 | $64,625 |
| 169 | Billings School District 1 | 146.74 | $34,329 | $92,604 |
| 170 | Horse Creek School District 32 | 160.87 | $16,444 | $171,563 |
| 171 | Sawyer School District 16 | 177.48 | $41,067 | $86,406 |
| 172 | Central Elementary Special District 32 | 456.05 | $94,500 | $60,000 |
*1=Most Equitable
Methodology
In order to rank the states with the most and least equitable school districts, WalletHub first scored 12,919 school districts throughout the U.S. based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil.
For expenditures, for each 1 percent above the state's average we removed 1 point from a base score of 50 points for each district. For household income, for each 1 percent above the state's average we added 1 point to a base score of 50 points for each district. The inverse was true for each 1 percent below the state's average.
The final score for each district was calculated by taking the absolute difference between the score for expenditures and the score for household income. We then ranked the districts based on the total score, with the lowest value, representing the most equitable, being ranked 1.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from of the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics.