The Bismarck Public School system is the second-largest school district in the state. The drop-out rate in 2002-2003 was only 1.5 percent. Special education and early learning opportunities are offered in both private and public schools. Several local schools have earned the national honor of being designated "Blue Ribbon Schools.". Bismarck Public School District has been recognized year after year for meeting the needs of families in a national "What Parents Want" competition; the annual survey honored just 16 percent of public school districts in the country in 2005.
The following is a summary of data regarding the Bismarck public school system as of the 2002–2003 school year.
Total enrollment: 10,400
Number of facilities
elementary schools: 15
junior high/middle schools: 3
senior high schools: 2
other: 3
Student/teacher ratio: 13.35:1
Teacher salaries
minimum: $26,000
maximum: $53,964
Funding per pupil: $7,034 (State of North Dakota)
In 2002, Bismarck/Mandan had 1,789 students in 9 private elementary schools, 9 private middle schools, and 2 private high schools.
Public Schools Information: Bismarck Public Schools, 806 North Washington, Bismarck, ND 58501; telephone (701)355-3000; fax (701)355-3001
Bismarck State College (BSC) is a two-year college offering more than 30 vocational and technical programs. BSC students may also take their first two years towards a bachelor's degree in arts or sciences. Medcenter One College of Nursing accepts students in their junior year for a two-year bachelor's degree focusing on general nursing science, clinical practice and research. Minot State University offers four-year degree programs in criminal justice, social work, management, and psychology; it also offers nine online degrees. The University of North Dakota (UND) Graduate Center offers master's programs in such fields as education, business administration, social work, and public administration; students can enroll in online, evening, and weekend classes. The UND School of Medicine offers a four-year doctor of medicine degree.
The University of Mary is a private Christian school offering four-year degrees in 34 programs, as well as graduate degrees in nursing, management, education, and physical therapy. St. Alexius Medical Center is home of the North Dakota School of Respiratory Care and St. Alexius School of Radiologic Technology. The United Tribes Training College is a unique intertribal college, owned and operated by five Native American tribes. The college offers 10 associate degree programs and certificates in 10 other areas, as well as adult education and on-site daycare.
The Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library has more than 169,000 book titles, 553 magazine subscriptions, 4,320 audiotapes and compact discs, 4,338 videotapes and DVDs, and 945 miscellaneous items ranging from artwork to fishing poles. Its bookmobile collection includes 21,274 items. A U.S. government document depository, the library has special collections on Northern Missouri River history and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
The North Dakota State Library on the Capitol grounds specializes in state government publications. Holdings include more than 132,000 books, nearly 15,000 tape cassettes, more than 111,000 state documents dating from 1889 to the present, and nearly 25,000 federal documents. The State Historical Society of North Dakota Library houses the official state archives. It has special collections on anthropology and the history of the Northern Great Plains, as well as archaeological artifacts.
Other major libraries in Bismarck are the Bismarck State College Library, which has 55,000 book titles and specializes in North Dakota history; the University of Mary's Welder Library, which holds 65,000 volumes; and the Q&R MedCenter One Health Sciences Library, which specializes in clinical medicine and nursing.
Public Library Information: Bismarck Public Library, 515 N. Fifth St., Bismarck, ND 58501; telephone (701)222-6410