How Private Schools Work in North Dakota

North Dakota has no single office that runs its private schools. Each school answers to its own board, congregation, diocese, or parent association. The state steps in mainly on attendance, health, and teacher licensing. This page shows where independent and faith-based schools operate across a state of long distances and small towns, so you can narrow your search before you pick up the phone.

The state body to know is the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction in Bismarck, headed by the elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction. It publishes statewide school data and answers questions about how nonpublic schools are approved. Teacher licenses come from a separate agency, the Education Standards and Practices Board. When you tour a school, ask how it is approved and how its teachers are credentialed. A good school will answer plainly and without hesitation.

State law requires children to attend school from age seven until sixteen. A private school can satisfy that duty, and so can public school or home education. If you move a child from a public school to a private one, expect the new school to request records from the old one. Keep your own copies of report cards and test results, because transfers go faster when you can hand over paperwork yourself.

Health rules apply as well. Students entering school in North Dakota, public or private, must meet state immunization requirements, with exemptions defined in state law. The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services sets the schedule. Your child's doctor or local public health unit can print the record a school will ask for.

Money is the other piece. Private schools here are funded mostly by tuition, church support, fundraising, and gifts. Some Catholic parish schools charge lower rates to member families, and others offer need-based aid. Ask every school for its full fee schedule, not just the headline tuition figure.

Bismarck, Mandan and Fargo: Where North Dakota's Private School Choices Cluster

The Bismarck-Mandan area has the deepest choice in the state. Bismarck sits in Burleigh County, and Mandan lies across the Missouri River in Morton County. Families cross the river for school every day. The Bismarck listings cover several traditions. Catholic options include Cathedral School at 508 Raymond Street, St Anne School at 1315 North 13th Street, and St Mary Central High School at 1025 North 2nd Street. Martin Luther School is at 413 East Avenue D, and Shiloh Christian School is at 1915 Shiloh Drive.

Two Seventh-day Adventist schools also appear: Brentwood Adventist Christian School at 9111 Wentworth Drive and Dakota Adventist Academy at 15905 Sheyenne Circle. Missouri Valley Montessori, at 200 West Turnpike Avenue, offers a different teaching method for families who want one. Across the river, Christ the King Elementary School at 505 10th Avenue Northwest serves Mandan.

With that range, the first question is not which school is closest. It is which grades and approach you need. Some schools serve only elementary children, while St Mary Central is a high school. Families often have to piece together elementary and high school options separately, so check each school's grade range before you tour.

Fargo is the state's largest city. It sits on the Red River in Cass County, directly across from Moorhead, Minnesota. Our database lists Grace Lutheran School at 1025 14th Avenue South (701-232-7747). Families on the Minnesota side sometimes look at Fargo schools, so ask any school about its policy for out-of-state students.

Grand Forks, home to the University of North Dakota, is the other Red River city. St. Michael's School at 504 5th Avenue North is listed there. Grand Forks County also includes New Testament Baptist at 701 East Front Street in Larimore, a smaller town outside the city. Jamestown, in Stutsman County along Interstate 94, has ST Johns Academy at 215 5th Street Southeast.

Western and Northern North Dakota: Oil Towns, Air Base Families and Small Parishes

In the southwest, Dickinson in Stark County is the regional hub. Trinity Elementary East at 515 3rd Street East is the listing there. Farther north, Williston in Williams County is a center of the Bakken oil region, where population and housing demand can shift with energy activity. Trinity Christian School at 2419 9th Avenue West serves that community. If your family arrives mid-year for work, ask about midyear enrollment and class sizes.

Minot, in Ward County, is the northern commercial center and sits near Minot Air Force Base. Bishop Ryan High School at 316 11th Avenue Northwest is the listed school. Military families who arrive between school years should ask how the school handles transfer credits and grade placement. In Devils Lake, St Joseph School at 824 10th Avenue Northeast serves Ramsey County.

Beyond the cities, schools are small and spread out. The listings include:

Two rural listings need an extra call. St Bernard Mission School in Fort Yates, Sioux County, is listed with a PO box rather than a street address. In Fordville, Walsh County, the entry is named Forest River Colony & Salvage, which reads more like a colony-based business than a typical school. Phone ahead to confirm what each one offers and where to go.

What to Settle Before You Visit a North Dakota School

Rural and metro schools differ most on practical details. Before you drive any distance, ask about these points:

Call during school hours and ask for the main office. Use the phone number in each listing, since a direct call is usually faster than email. If you plan to enroll, bring your child's most recent report card, immunization record, and birth certificate to the visit.

Private schools in North Dakota are licensed and regulated by the state's department of education, which sets minimum standards for safety, curriculum, and accreditation while allowing institutions significant freedom in operations and admissions. North Dakota may also offer education savings account or voucher programs that provide public funding assistance to eligible families attending private schools.

Private Schools locations are available in 18 cities across North Dakota. They are spread across 17 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of private schools include Bismarck, Fargo, Minot, reflecting larger population centers where demand for diverse educational options tends to support a wider range of private school institutions.

Families in North Dakota exploring private school options should contact each school's admissions office to request a prospectus, schedule a tour, and learn about financial aid availability, as tuition and assistance programs vary significantly from one institution to the next.

Private Schools by Counties

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Families in North Dakota comparing private school options should check each school's accreditation status through the state department of education and request standardized test score data, graduation rates, and college placement outcomes. Many private schools in North Dakota hold open house events in the fall that are open to prospective families without an appointment.

Browse Private Schools by county across North Dakota to find the nearest location.

Timing Your Private School Search Around the North Dakota School Year and Winter

Most North Dakota schools start in late summer and finish in late spring, though exact dates vary, so ask for the calendar before you commit. Private schools do not have to follow the local public district's calendar, and some differ by a week or more. If you have children in two schools, compare dates early to avoid clashing breaks.

Winter shapes everything here. Blizzards and extreme cold can close roads on Interstate 94 and Interstate 29 and shut schools for a day or more. Ask each school how it announces closings, whether by text, email, or local radio and television, and whether it follows the nearest public district. Families who commute from rural areas into Bismarck, Fargo, or Minot should plan a backup for days when roads are not passable.

Timing matters for admission as well. Catholic schools across the country hold open houses around Catholic Schools Week in late January or early February, and many schools take spring registration for the next fall. Smaller schools in towns such as Langdon, Rugby, or Devils Lake may have a single classroom per grade, so a few late enrollments can fill it. Call in winter if you want a fall seat.

Mid-year moves are common in the western part of the state and near Minot Air Force Base. Schools in Williston, Dickinson, and Minot may accept students in January, but ask about grade placement and what records they need before you arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions About Private Schools in North Dakota

Start by asking the school's office directly. An approved school will tell you how it earned that status and who reviews it. You can also contact the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction in Bismarck, which handles questions about nonpublic school approval and keeps statewide school records. Teacher credentials are a separate matter and run through the Education Standards and Practices Board. Approval and accreditation are not the same thing, so ask which one the school holds, who granted it, and when it was last renewed. Request the answers in writing if you can.

Costs vary widely by school, grade, and denomination, so no single figure applies statewide. Many Catholic parish schools in cities such as Bismarck and Fargo set lower rates for parish members, and some schools may offer sibling discounts or need-based aid. Beyond tuition, ask about registration, books, uniforms, hot lunch, and activity fees, which can add up. Call the school office using the number in our listing, request the current fee schedule for the coming year, and ask about the deadline for financial aid forms, since aid is often limited and awarded early.

Yes. Our database includes St Alphonsus School in Langdon (701-256-2354), Little Flower School in Rugby (701-776-6258), St John's Elementary School in Wahpeton (701-642-6116), and St Joseph School in Devils Lake (701-662-5016). Rural schools are usually small, often serve only elementary grades, and may not run buses. Families in these areas sometimes drive a long way or share carpools, so ask about pickup arrangements. Some families will need a different school for high school, so confirm the grade range before you enroll.

Expect to provide a birth certificate, immunization records, and prior report cards or transcripts. Many schools also ask for a release form so the old school can send records directly. Students entering a North Dakota school must meet state immunization requirements unless a lawful exemption applies, and your doctor or local public health office can print the record. If your child has an IEP or learning plan, bring a copy. The public school district where the private school is located generally handles special education evaluations for private school students, so ask that district about the process.

Generally yes. Private schools set their own admission rules and are not tied to the public school district where you live. A family in Burleigh County can enroll a child at Christ the King Elementary School in Mandan, which is in Morton County, if the school has space. The real limit is the drive, especially in winter. Ask whether the school provides transportation, and check how far you would travel on days when roads are poor. Public district policies on busing private school students vary, so ask your home district as well.

Our listing for St Bernard Mission School gives PO Box 394, Fort Yates, as the address and 701-854-7413 as the phone number. A post office box shows where mail goes, not where classrooms are, so call first to learn the physical location, grades served, and visitor hours. Fort Yates is some distance from Bismarck, so confirm hours before you travel. Ask about enrollment steps, any school-specific requirements, and whether there is a waiting list. Listings can change over time, so a quick call is the safest way to confirm current details.