The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in Math. The lowest is 42% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Simle Middle School
Simle Middle School sits in Bismarck, North Dakota's capital city and the regional anchor for south-central North Dakota. It is a regular public school serving grades six through eight, part of the Bismarck Public School District, which is the largest district in the state and has been growing steadily. The district recently rebuilt Roosevelt Elementary, which opened in fall 2024, and continues to draw on a 2020 bond referendum for facility improvements across its buildings. That growth posture means families at Simle are entering a system actively investing in capacity and modernization.
The school's enrollment is sizable for a middle school, with its three grade levels each holding a similar share of students. The student body is predominantly white, with the next largest group being American Indian and Alaska Native students, followed by students of two or more races. Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students each make up small slices of the population. About a fifth of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which is a relatively modest share. Data on individualized education programs and English learner status was not available, so those population details are not included here.
On state assessments, Simle's math results stand out as the stronger area. Across all three grade levels, roughly half of students reached proficiency or above on the North Dakota A-PLUS assessment in the most recent year. The consistency across grades six, seven, and eight suggests a stable math program rather than a spike in any single cohort. English language arts results are softer, with the share of proficient students sitting below the math mark across all three grades, dipping slightly from sixth to eighth. Science, tested only in eighth grade, landed in the same range as ELA. Participation was near universal in every subject and grade, which gives the results solid coverage. It is worth noting that North Dakota changed its assessment name and cut scores for this year, so the state flags these results as not directly comparable to prior years. There is no multi-year trend available for that reason. A parent looking to understand whether ELA performance reflects a longer pattern or a single-year shift may want to ask the school directly.
No graduation rate applies here, since Simle serves only middle school grades. Discipline data, course access details, staffing figures, attendance rates, and civil rights reporting were not provided in the available data, so those dimensions cannot be characterized. Title I status was also not reported.
The housing market around the school reflects Bismarck's position as a growing capital city. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit above the statewide benchmark but remain well below the national figure, which is consistent with a midsize Plains metro. Renting is meaningfully cheaper than carrying a mortgage at current interest rates, a gap that may matter for families deciding whether to buy into the attendance area. Home values have been appreciating at a healthy clip, and rents have risen even faster, so the cost of living here is moving upward, though it remains moderate compared with much of the country.
Bismarck's economy is anchored by state government and two large hospital systems downtown, with energy production, business services, and manufacturing contributing to the base. The city has a compact downtown core with small shops and restaurants, Kirkwood Mall at its center, and the capitol complex just to the north. The Missouri River runs along the western edge, and the broader metro has been growing steadily, with Forbes having recognized Bismarck as one of the faster-growing small cities in the country. The built environment beyond downtown is largely auto-oriented, which is typical for the region. Bismarck State College and the University of Mary are both in the city, giving families nearby higher-education options.
What Simle offers is a solid, conventional public middle school experience in a growing, economically stable capital city. Math outcomes are a relative strength, ELA is the area where a family might probe further, and the surrounding community provides a mix of government, healthcare, and energy-sector stability that supports the district's continued investment in its schools.
See more original research from School Decision →