Original Research by School Decision on Longfellow Elementary School
Longfellow Elementary sits in north Fargo, part of the Fargo 1 school district, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a regular public school on 29th Avenue NE, in a city that functions as the regional hub for southeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Fargo's economy blends healthcare, higher education, technology, and retail, with Sanford Health and Microsoft both maintaining regional campuses and North Dakota State University anchoring the city's identity. The surrounding metro has had one of the lowest unemployment rates among U.S. metropolitan areas for years, and the housing market in this zip code sits below both state and national benchmarks for typical home values, with rents that remain affordable relative to local incomes. For a family weighing where to live, this is a moderately priced corner of a growing, economically steady city.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary, spread fairly evenly across the grades. The student body is predominantly white, with small Asian, multiracial, Hispanic, and Black populations rounding it out. A very small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, well below what many urban elementary schools see. The data does not include rates for English learners or students receiving special education services, so those pictures are incomplete here.
On the most recent state assessments, administered under North Dakota's new A-PLUS system, Longfellow's results are a mixed bag. Math is the stronger subject. Third-grade math proficiency sits in the upper range among the grades tested, while fourth and fifth grade land somewhat lower, bringing the school-wide math average to a solidly above-middle level. English language arts is weaker across the board, with every grade landing in a middling band, and fourth grade the softest. Science was tested only in fourth grade and landed in that same middle range. Participation was strong across all tested grades.
One thing worth knowing is that the state changed both the assessment name and the proficiency cut scores for this testing cycle, which means the results cannot be cleanly compared to prior years. The data confirms this gap plainly. There is only one year of results under the current system, so parents looking for a trend will need to wait for future rounds before a direction becomes clear.
Beyond test scores and demographics, the available data thins out. There is no information on staffing ratios, class sizes, attendance patterns, discipline, or specific program offerings such as music, art, gifted services, or extracurriculars. Title I status is also not reported. A parent wanting to understand the day-to-day classroom environment, teacher experience, or enrichment opportunities would need to ask the school directly, because the public data does not speak to those questions.
The district-level picture is similarly quiet. Research turned up no recent parent-relevant changes such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or property-tax adjustments in Fargo 1. This is not necessarily a red flag; it may simply mean the district has been in a period of continuity. But it does mean there is little to report here about new initiatives or disruptions that would affect a family's decision.
Fargo itself is a city shaped by its interstate crossroads, with postwar growth pushing development south and west of the original downtown core. The I-29 and I-94 interchange, anchored by the West Acres mall, defines much of the commercial geography. Downtown Fargo retains cultural venues like the Fargo Theatre and the Plains Art Museum, and NDSU has extended its footprint into the center with academic buildings and student housing. The city is car-dependent outside that downtown area. A major flood diversion project is under construction to channel Red River floodwater away from the metro, which has involved purchasing homes in flood-prone zones. For a family settling near Longfellow, the broader context is a stable, growing regional center with a diversified economy and housing costs that have not yet reached national highs.
Longfellow reads as a school with decent academic footing in math, softer results in literacy, a relatively advantaged student population, and limited public information beyond the test scores. It fits families looking for a conventional public elementary experience in an affordable part of a prosperous small city, with the caveat that ELA outcomes warrant a closer conversation with the school.
See more original research from School Decision →