Original Research by School Decision on Washburn 4
Washburn Public School District 4 is a small, single-community district in McLean County, North Dakota, serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across two schools: Washburn Elementary School and Washburn High School. The district draws primarily from the town of Washburn, with contributions from surrounding communities including Wilton, Center, Underwood, and Turtle Lake. The enrollment is small for a district covering all grade bands, with relatively even distribution across grades and a modest pre-kindergarten cohort.
The student body is nearly entirely white, with only a handful of students identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic, Black, or two or more races. The district did not report free-or-reduced-price lunch data, nor did it report English-learner or special-education population counts, so a parent looking for information on economic diversity or specialized services would need to contact the district directly for those details.
On the most recent state assessments, administered under North Dakota's A-PLUS system, Washburn's results are reported as ranges rather than single point estimates. This reporting style often reflects small class sizes where individual student privacy protections apply. A parent should read these ranges with that context in mind. The district also changed its assessment name and proficiency cut scores this year, which means results are not directly comparable to prior years' testing.
In math, third grade stood out as a relative strength, with proficiency landing in a range that suggests a majority of students are meeting or exceeding state standards. Fourth and fifth grade math results were markedly lower, with proficiency ranges suggesting fewer than half of tested students are proficient. Sixth through eighth grade math results land in a moderate range, with seventh grade looking somewhat stronger. The dip in the middle elementary grades is a pattern a parent may want to look into further with the school, particularly what is happening in instruction as students transition from third to fourth grade.
English language arts results are more consistent across grade levels, generally landing in a moderate range. Third grade again appears stronger, while seventh and eighth grade ELA results trend lower. Science was tested only in fourth and eighth grades, with fourth grade results on the lower end and eighth grade results spanning a moderate range.
Participation rates were solid across most grades, with a slight dip in the upper middle grades. No graduation rate data was available for the district, and no civil-rights reporting, course-access, staffing, or attendance data was provided.
On the housing side, the district's weighted typical home value sits well below the North Dakota state benchmark and considerably below the national benchmark. Among the communities the district draws from, Washburn itself carries the largest weight, with home values close to the district average. Turtle Lake and Underwood are more affordable, while Wilton and Center are priced somewhat higher. The district-wide price-to-income ratio is moderate, which suggests housing here is relatively attainable for working families compared to much of the country. Values have been appreciating at a steady pace. No rental market data was available for the area.
A major development a family should be aware of: the district is pursuing a proposed building project that would add classroom space, create a secure entrance, and upgrade the gymnasium and Career and Technical Education facilities. As of early 2025, publicly reported information indicated the district was in the community input phase, with a bond measure to fund the project expected to go before voters. No bond vote had yet been held. A family considering the district should know that a property-tax increase tied to these facility improvements may be on the horizon, and that the district is actively seeking public feedback on the scope of the plans.
Washburn is a district where families are buying into a small, homogeneous community with stable housing costs and a personal scale of education. The academic picture is mixed, with stronger early-grade results and some weaker middle-elementary math outcomes that warrant attention. The potential building project signals the district is thinking about its long-term facilities, which could be a positive for families planning to stay, provided the bond measure passes and the tax implications fit a household's budget.
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