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Shell Valley, North Dakota 7-18-2009Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0
D
Schools in Shell Valley · Belcourt Public School District 7, Mount Pleasant Public School District 4

Shell Valley’s public schools score below 89% of North Dakota districts on tests and graduation

15% of students in Shell Valley’s public schools are proficient in math, below the North Dakota average (39%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Shell Valley, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within North Dakota, not nationally.

K–12Where will my kid go?

From North Dakota state tests taken in spring 2022, when 96% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
29%
▼ 14 pts vs ND 44%
2021–22
Math proficiency
15%
▼ 23 pts vs ND 39%
2021–22
Graduate on time
70–74%
▼ 9–13 pts vs ND 83%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$29.1K
▲ 75% vs ND $16.6K
FY2024 · Belcourt Public School District 7
Students per teacher
8.0
ND 11.5 · smaller classes
Schools in town
1
1,167 students on the public path
In brief

Shell Valley’s schools, in brief

Results trail the state

In spring 2022, 29% of tested students were proficient in reading and 15% in math, against 44% and 39% statewide; 96% of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

70–74% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 83% across North Dakota (the state reports Shell Valley’s rate as a range). Districts ↓

Spending and class size

Belcourt Public School District 7 spends $29,052 per student and Mount Pleasant Public School District 4 $20,226, against $16,642 across North Dakota (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Shell Valley’s grade

D Test scoresD Graduation

D: better than 11% of North Dakota school districts. Both inputs trail the North Dakota average; graduation is the closer of the two to typical.

North Dakota school districts we grade (152)Better than 11%
Lower resultsHigher results
North Dakota towns with similar household incomes (114)Better than 10%
DC−A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 862 test results and a graduating class of 152 could put Shell Valley anywhere from D to C−. The tests are from spring 2022, when 96% of Shell Valley’s students in the tested grades sat them (869 in math, 853 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Shell Valley, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–62 schoolsDepends on your addressD− to C−
7–122 schoolsDepends on your addressD to B

Shell Valley runs its own schools through grade 12 (Belcourt Public School District 7). From grade PK, students attend the Mount Pleasant Public School District 4, shared with Armourdale, Hansboro, Howell, Lansing, Monroe, Mount View, Picton, Rock Lake, Rocklake, Rolla, Sidney, Smith and Virginia. Its school is in Belcourt. Parts of Shell Valley (6% of its land) are served by Rolette Public School District 29 instead. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Shell Valley

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Belcourt Public School District 7Grades PK–12 · 4 schools · 1,518 students, down 5% since 2020–21 · 7.8 per teacher (ND 11.5)
$29,052ND $16,642 · FY2024
D
Mount Pleasant Public School District 4Grades PK–12 · 2 schools · 244 students, down 12% since 2020–21 · 9.7 per teacher (ND 11.5)
$20,226ND $16,642 · FY2024
C
Test scores · 2021–22

Well below the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Belcourt Public School District 726%
State average 43.8% · 712 students tested
Math · PK–12, Belcourt Public School District 712%
State average 38.6% · 727 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Mount Pleasant Public School District 447%
State average 43.8% · 141 students tested
Math · PK–12, Mount Pleasant Public School District 432%
State average 38.6% · 142 students tested

Shell Valley vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the North Dakota towns that share Shell Valley’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Shell ValleyDBelcourt Public School District 7 PK–12 · Mount Pleasant Public School District 4 PK–12
Shell Valley Township—Rolette Public School District 29

Every school in Shell Valley

5 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with North Dakota’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

Also serving Shell Valleyin other towns
Turtle Mountain Community Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Belcourt
D−
605 students8:1Rate it →
Mt. Pleasant Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Rolla
C−
112 students9:1Rate it →
Turtle Mountain Community Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Belcourt
D
318 students5:1Rate it →
Mt. Pleasant High School
High · Grades 7–12 · Rolla
B
132 students10:1Rate it →
Other public schools in Shell Valleyrun by other districts or the state
Ojibwa Indian School
Elementary · Grades K–8 · Belcourt
220 students14:1Rate it →

Questions about Shell Valley’s schools

Are Shell Valley’s schools good?

On North Dakota’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools Shell Valley children attend score below 89% of North Dakota’s school districts on tests and graduation, a D Schools grade. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 10%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Shell Valley in?

Two districts: Belcourt Public School District 7 runs grades PK–12, and Mount Pleasant Public School District 4 runs grades PK–12, shared with Armourdale, Hansboro, Howell, Lansing, Monroe, Mount View, Picton, Rock Lake, Rocklake, Rolla, Sidney, Smith and Virginia.

What is Shell Valley’s graduation rate?

70–74% of the class of 2023 in Belcourt Public School District 7 graduated in four years, against 83% across North Dakota.

How much does Shell Valley spend per student?

$29,052 in Belcourt Public School District 7 and $20,226 in Mount Pleasant Public School District 4 (FY2024), against $16,642 across North Dakota. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Shell Valley families are saying about school.

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Looking for colleges? Colleges near Shell Valley → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within North Dakota. Stars are from neighbors.