About BPS
Our Mission: "Empower every learner to thrive."
Our Vision: "Together, our strong relationships build inclusive, collaborative, and innovative environments that create agency and inspire a passion for learning, excellence, and discovery."
Our Values: Excellence, Innovation, Inclusion and Leadership.
Bismarck Public Schools
Central Administration Building
128 Soo Line Drive
Bismarck ND 58501
District Main Phone: 701-323-4000 or click here for the phone/fax directory
Fax: 701-323-4001
Welcome to Bismarck and the Bismarck Public School District!
Bismarck is the capital city of North Dakota. It's centrally located in the state and in North America and is bordered on the west by the scenic Missouri River. Bismarck is an economically diverse, fast growing and dynamic community with a population in 2019 of 73,529 people.
The Bismarck Public School District has been in the public education business for 145 years (since 1874); Linda Slaughter had a private school in 1874 for a year. The first graduating class was in 1887, when two people graduated. In May of 2020, BPS graduated 862 seniors. The oldest building is part of BHS, built in 1934. The newest school is Legacy High, which opened in 2015.
We are the largest school district in the state, with 13,678 students on the first day of 2022-23 and 2,169 employees. We have over 500 classrooms in 18 grade schools, 3 middle schools, 3 senior high schools, an alternative high school, a Career Academy and Technical Center, and an early childhood education program (BECEP).
BPS has a strong graduation rate. The average daily attendance was 96.7% in 2019-20. All of our schools are "accredited with commendation" by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Some schools have received "Blue Ribbon" awards, a high national honor.
Bismarck Public Schools requires 24 credits to graduate from high school; 18% of students in grades 10-12 are members of the National Honor Society, and 16% of the seniors are Presidential Academic Fitness Award winners, maintaining an A- or higher GPA and score at the 85th percentile or above on a national achievement test.