Original Research by School Decision on Century High School
Century High School is a regular public high school in Bismarck, North Dakota, serving grades nine through twelve. It is part of Bismarck Public School District 1, which is the largest school district in the state and has been growing steadily. The district recently opened a rebuilt Roosevelt Elementary and continues to operate under a bond referendum passed in 2020 that funded new construction and facility additions across its schools, a reflection of the enrollment pressure that has come with Bismarck's sustained population growth.
The school itself is large for a North Dakota high school, with an enrollment that fills four grade levels fairly evenly. Its student body is predominantly white, with smaller proportions of American Indian or Alaska Native, multirace, Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on individualized education programs and English learner enrollment was not available, so those populations could not be characterized here.
On state assessments for the most recent reported year, Century's results were mixed. English language arts proficiency sat at about the halfway mark, which is a reasonably strong outcome for a high school. Math proficiency was lower, with fewer than a third of students meeting the benchmark. Science proficiency landed in between. A parent considering this school may want to look into the math results further with the school, particularly how that pattern breaks down across grade levels and student groups. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability. The state did not provide a graduation rate, course access data, discipline data, staffing figures, or attendance information in the materials reviewed, so those dimensions could not be assessed.
Bismarck itself is the state capital and the economic center of south-central North Dakota. State government is the dominant employer, and two major hospital systems, CHI St. Alexius and Sanford Health, operate downtown. The city has a compact historic core with small stores and restaurants, and its major shopping center, Kirkwood Mall, sits in the city center rather than out in the suburbs. The North Dakota State Capitol complex sits just north of downtown. Beyond that core, the built environment is more auto-oriented, with Interstate 94 running through and shaping the layout. The Missouri River forms the city's western edge and offers boating, fishing, and trails. Bismarck State College and the University of Mary are both located in the city, which gives Century students nearby postsecondary options.
The housing market around Century High School is on the expensive side relative to state norms. Typical home values in the school's zip code run well above the North Dakota benchmark and above the national figure as well, and rents have been rising at a brisk pace year over year. For families renting, the cost burden is moderate relative to income. For those looking to buy, the gap between a monthly mortgage and rent is substantial, with ownership carrying considerably higher monthly costs at current rates. This is a market where housing affordability may factor into a family's decision about the area.
What the data shows is a large, growing-district high school in a capital-city setting with solid reading outcomes, weaker math results, and a peer environment that is mostly white with a low rate of economic disadvantage. Families weighing Century will want to supplement this picture with direct conversations about math instruction, course offerings, and support services, since those pieces were not available in the materials reviewed.
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