When you hear the state name Montana, you may automatically think of the popular television show Yellowstone or the beautiful stretches of land that make up the stunning landscape. There is also an overabundance of National treasures to behold in Montana, such as the Bighorn Canyon, Glacier National Park, and Yellowstone National Park. However, for this article, we will be exploring the largest school districts in Montana.
Montana ranks number 25 in education out of all 50 states. Additionally, it ranks 20 in both prekindergarten and higher education. Now, let's look below at some qualities the largest school districts in Montana possess.
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Billings Elementary School District
415 North 30th Street Billings, MT 59101
Total Schools: 28
Students: 11,079
Billings Elementary School District is the largest school district in Montana, with 28 schools and 11,079 students. Furthermore, one of its accolades includes ranking ten for Montana's most diverse school districts.
Regarding academics, Billings Elementary School District has a 43% proficiency score in reading and a 37% proficiency score in math. In addition, the reviews left by parents sing the praises of the teachers and how hard they work to help students on their learning journey.
One of the top-performing schools in the Billings Elementary School District is Central Heights School. It has 296 students and offers grades prekindergarten to fifth grade. This elementary school performs above the state average in reading and math proficiency and overall testing. They also rank in the top ten percent of the schools in Montana.
The schools in Billings Elementary School District:
Elementary Schools: 22
Middle Schools: 6
Great Falls Elementary School District
1100 4th St. SO Great Falls, MT 59405
Total Schools: 17
Students: 7,114
Great Falls Elementary School District ranks number four in Montana's most diverse school districts. Additionally, it has 17 schools and 7,114 students. The vision of this school district is to offer excellent educational opportunities to all students so they can receive engaging learning experiences. In fact, these engaging learning experiences will better prepare them for life of the future.
Academically, Great Falls Elementary School District has a 47% proficiency in reading and 37% in math.
One of the top-performing schools in this school district is Meadow Lark School. It has 550 students. Additionally, the grades that are offered are prekindergarten to sixth. Furthermore, when it comes to academics, this school ranks in the top five percent of schools in Montana. They perform higher than the state average on overall testing, with 67% proficiency in math and 72% proficiency in reading.
Schools in Great Falls Elementary School District:
Elementary Schools: 15
Middle Schools: 2
Missoula Elementary School District
909 South Ave. West Missoula, MT 59801
Total Schools: 12
Students: 5,385
Missoula Elementary School District has 12 schools and 5,385 students. The goals at this school district include thinking about the future. In doing so, this school district holds fast to the fact that it will help improve the elements of education for future success.
Additionally, academically, Missoula Elementary School District has a 57% proficiency in reading and 41% proficiency in math.
The top-performing schools in Missoula Elementary School District include Jeannette Rankin Elementary and Rattlesnake Elementary School. First, Rattlesnake Elementary School ranks as number one in this school district. It falls in the top five percent of schools in Montana. The math proficiency and reading proficiency are higher than the state average. Jeanette Rankin Elementary School is also in the top five percent of schools in Montana. This elementary school has proficiency that falls in the top ten percent for both reading and math.
Schools in Missoula Elementary School District:
Elementary Schools: 9
Middle Schools: 3
Helena Public Schools
55 South Rodney Helena, MT 59601
Total Schools: 13
Students: 5,181
Helena Public Schools has 13 schools and 5,1818 students. One of the top rankings for this school district is for teachers. In fact, it ranks as number eight for best places to teach in Montana.
The vision for this school district is to provide students with an excellent place to learn that will help prepare them for life. In order to do that, there is a mission in place. This mission includes helping students improve their mastery, character, and possibility.
Moreover, Helena Public Schools academically aligns with the state average. They rank higher in reading with 51% and 34% math proficiency.
Jefferson Elementary School is one of the top-performing schools in the Helena Public Schools District. It has 259 students and ranks in the top five percent of schools in Montana.
Helena Public Schools:
Elementary Schools: 11
Middle Schools: 2
Bozeman Elementary School District
404 West Main Bozeman, MT 59715
Total Schools: 11
Students: 4,711
Bozeman Elementary School District ranks number 12 for best teaching places in Montana. It has 11 schools and 4,711 students. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16 to one, slightly below the national average. One reviewer also sings the praises of this school district, stating that the teachers genuinely care and the learning environment is top-notch.
Academically, Bozeman Elementary School District ranks higher than the state average with a 66% proficiency in reading and a 56% proficiency in math.
From there, one of the top-performing schools in this district is Morning Star School, which has 440 students. The grades offered are prekindergarten through fifth grade. Regarding overall rankings, Morning Star School ranks in the top one percent of schools in Montana.
Bozeman Elementary School District Schools:
Elementary Schools: 9
Middle Schools: 3
In Conclusion
When it comes to your child's education, there is no one-size-fits-all. Every student learns at their own pace and has their own educational journey. However, the largest school districts in Montana can tell us important information about the schools in certain areas. What are the proficiency ratings? Are there any plans for future growth? How many students attend each school? These questions and more are all very important when deciding on your child's education!
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock.com.