The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in Math. The lowest is 55% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Probstfield Elementary
Probstfield Elementary serves kindergarten through fourth grade in Moorhead, part of the Moorhead Area Public Schools district. The school is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation. It occupies a residential area on the south side of Moorhead, a mid-sized city that sits directly across the Red River from Fargo, North Dakota, forming the core of the Fargo-Moorhead metro area. Moorhead blends residential neighborhoods with higher-education campuses—Concordia College, Minnesota State University Moorhead, and a Minnesota State Community and Technical College campus—and employment anchors in sugar beet processing, malt manufacturing, and container manufacturing. The surrounding Red River Valley is among the flattest and most fertile agricultural land in the world, and the city has experienced consistent annual growth driven by its employment and education sectors.
The student body at Probstfield is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic enrollment and smaller shares of Black, two-or-more-race, American Indian, and Asian students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a modest share that places the school in a relatively lower-poverty context compared to many schools in the region. Data on students receiving special education services or English learner support was not available in the records provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs.
On state assessments, Probstfield’s performance stands out. In math, third graders turned in a proficiency rate that reflects a solid majority of students meeting standards. Fourth graders also posted a strong majority, though with a slightly lower rate. In reading, third graders achieved at a level that suggests most students are on track, while fourth graders showed a smaller, still substantial share proficient. Taking all tested subjects and grades together, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Clay County, well above the county median. This is a clear academic strength for an elementary school that feeds into the district’s middle and high schools.
Housing in the area around Probstfield reflects the broader Moorhead market, where home values are somewhat below the state average and close to the national median, with modest year-over-year appreciation. Rental costs follow a similar pattern. The affordability picture is plausible for a midwestern metro area, though a parent should consider their own budget relative to the local market.
The school’s parent district, Moorhead Area Public Schools, has been investing in its facilities. In 2024, voters approved a bond referendum to fund a new elementary school, an expansion of Moorhead High School, and district-wide improvements. That same year, a new K-4 building opened elsewhere in the district, signaling that enrollment growth is a reality families can expect. The high school also expanded its career academy with a new welding lab, broadening hands-on technical education. These moves suggest a district that is planning for growth and adding capacity, which could affect school attendance boundaries and class sizes over time.
Because Probstfield only serves kindergarten through fourth grade, there is no graduation rate or chronic absenteeism data to report. The school’s size is moderate for its grade band, with classrooms spread across each grade level. The school offers a standard elementary program; no specialized magnet or thematic focus is indicated in the available records.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a solidly performing elementary in a stable, growing community with a strong agricultural-industrial and college-town economy. The academic results are a clear draw, placing Probstfield among the stronger elementary schools in the county on the metrics available. The demographic makeup is relatively homogeneous but not uniform, and the share of students from lower-income households is moderate. The district’s recent bond work signals that families moving in now will see facility improvements and new capacity, though the exact impact on this particular school is not specified. A parent who values a straightforward neighborhood elementary with above-average test scores and a district that is investing in its future would find Probstfield worth a close look.
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