Turtle Lake-Mercer 72 School District

250 3rd Ave W
Turtle Lake, ND 58575
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Turtle Lake-Mercer 72 School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there is 1 public elementary school serving 97 students in Turtle Lake-Mercer 72 School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in North Dakota.
Public Elementary School in Turtle Lake-Mercer 72 School District have an average math proficiency score of 42% (versus the North Dakota public elementary school average of 41%), and reading proficiency score of 42% (versus the 44% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 7% of the student body (majority American Indian), which is less than the North Dakota public elementary school average of 32% (majority American Indian and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (ND)
# Schools
2 Schools
338 Schools
# Students
182 Students
83,264 Students
# Teachers
22 Teachers
7,270 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
8:1
8:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Turtle Lake-Mercer 72 School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 163 school districts in North Dakota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 60-79% has increased from 50% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (ND)
#94 out of 167 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
39%
39%
40-44%
44%
60-69%
44%
(21-22)
60-79%
85%
(2022-23)
10.1%
20.9%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.10
0.51
% American Indian
2%
11%
% Asian
n/a
2%
% Hispanic
n/a
8%
% Black
n/a
6%
% White
95%
68%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $20,907 is higher than the state median of $17,529. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $20,923 is higher than the state median of $17,531. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (ND)
Total Revenue
$4 MM
$2,154 MM
Spending
$4 MM
$2,154 MM
Revenue / Student
$20,907
$17,529
Spending / Student
$20,923
$17,531

Best Turtle Lake-Mercer 72 School District Public Elementary Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Turtle Lake-mercer Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
250 3rd Ave W
Turtle Lake, ND 58575
(701) 448-2365
Gr: PK-6 | 97 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 7%

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Quick Facts (2026-27)

  • District size: 2 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 182 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 8:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 5%
  • : 60-79% (Top 50% in ND)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 39% (Top 50%)
  • : 40-44% (Btm 50%)
  • : 60-69% (Top 5%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), ND Dept. of Education

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