Best Middle Schools in Montana (2025-26)

Ranked middle schools

139

Listed, not ranked

Every ranked middle school in Montana, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.

Montana rankings: High Schools · Middle Schools · Elementary Schools

Montana middle schools ranked

Rank	Grade	School	City	District	Actual	Projected	Impact	Students
#1	A+	Anderson 7 8	Bozeman	Anderson Elem	80%	66%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	46
#2	A+	Belt 7 8	Belt	Belt Elem	70%	39%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	50
#3	A+	Monforton 6 8	Bozeman	Monforton Elem	65%	52%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	218
#4	A+	Deer Park 6 8	Columbia Falls	Deer Park Elem	60%	43%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	63
#5	A+	Fort Benton 7 8	Fort Benton	Fort Benton Elem	60%	37%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	54
#6	A+	Shields Valley 7 8 Clyde Park	Clyde Park	Shields Valley Elem	60%	40%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	36
#7	A	Montana City Middle Schl	Clancy	Montana City Elem	58%	52%	Exceeds Expectations	183
#8	A	Sacajawea Middle School	Bozeman	Bozeman Elem	58%	42%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	826
#9	A	Chief Joseph Middle School	Bozeman	Bozeman Elem	56%	48%	Exceeds Expectations	752
#10	A	Kalispell Middle School	Kalispell	Kalispell Elem	56%	33%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	1,045
#11	A	Hellgate Middle School	Missoula	Hellgate Elem	55%	40%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	329
#12	A	Manhattan 5 8	Manhattan	Manhattan School	55%	41%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	245
#13	A	West Valley Middle School	Kalispell	West Valley Elem	55%	43%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	338
#14	A	Somers Middle School	Somers	Somers Elem	54%	37%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	253
#15	A	Bigfork 7 8	Bigfork	Bigfork Elem	53%	46%	Exceeds Expectations	149
#16	A	Clancy 7 8	Clancy	Clancy Elem	53%	44%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	81
#17	A	Dillon Middle School	Dillon	Dillon Elem	52%	49%	Exceeds Expectations	257
#18	A	Ben Steele Middle School	Billings	Billings Elem	51%	54%	Meets Expectations	747
#19	A-	Charlo 6 8	Charlo	Charlo Elem	50%	25%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	62
#20	A-	Gallatin Gateway 7 8	Gallatin Gateway	Gallatin Gateway Elem	50%	44%	Exceeds Expectations	32
#21	A-	North Star 7 8	Rudyard	North Star Elem	50%	42%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	36
#22	A-	Seeley Lake 7 8	Seeley Lake	Seeley Lake Elem	50%	33%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	36
#23	A-	Twin Bridges Middle School	Twin Bridges	Twin Bridges K-12 Schools	50%	36%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	60
#24	B+	Whitefish Middle 5 8	Whitefish	Whitefish Elem	50%	49%	Meets Expectations	660
#25	B+	North Middle School	Great Falls	Great Falls Elem	49%	44%	Exceeds Expectations	724
#26	B+	Washington Middle School	Missoula	Missoula Elem	49%	44%	Exceeds Expectations	663
#27	B+	Corvallis 7 8	Corvallis	Corvallis K-12 Schools	48%	37%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	212
#28	B+	Elysian Middle School	Billings	Elysian Elem	48%	39%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	144
#29	B+	C R Anderson Middle Schl	Helena	Helena Elem	46%	44%	Meets Expectations	1,067
#30	B+	Belgrade Middle School	Belgrade	Belgrade Elem	45%	41%	Exceeds Expectations	1,052
#31	B+	Cascade 6 8	Cascade	Cascade Elem	45%	36%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	75
#32	B+	Centerville 6 8	Sand Coulee	Centerville Elem	45%	34%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	55
#33	B+	Ennis 7 8	Ennis	Ennis K-12 Schools	45%	35%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	72
#34	B+	Lewistown 7 8	Lewistown	Lewistown Elem	45%	40%	Exceeds Expectations	197
#35	B+	Ophir 7 8	Gallatin Gateway	Big Sky School K-12	45%	46%	Meets Expectations	98
#36	B+	Redwater 7 8	Circle	Circle Elem	45%	30%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	36
#37	B+	Scobey 7 8	Scobey	Scobey K-12 Schools	45%	41%	Exceeds Expectations	45
#38	B+	Target Range 7 8	Missoula	Target Range Elem	45%	38%	Exceeds Expectations	137
#39	B	Big Timber 7 8	Big Timber	Big Timber Elem	43%	45%	Meets Expectations	75
#40	B	Libby Middle School	Libby	Libby K-12 Schools	43%	30%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	183
#41	B	Lolo Middle School	Lolo	Lolo Elem	43%	36%	Exceeds Expectations	217
#42	B	Townsend 7 8	Townsend	Townsend K-12 Schools	43%	40%	Exceeds Expectations	122
#43	B	Utterback 7 8	Conrad	Conrad Elem	43%	50%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	69
#44	B	Meadow Hill Middle School	Missoula	Missoula Elem	42%	36%	Exceeds Expectations	472
#45	B	Castle Rock Middle School	Billings	Billings Elem	41%	47%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	703
#46	B-	Clinton 7 8	Clinton	Clinton Elem	40%	30%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	30
#47	B-	Columbus Middle School	Columbus	Columbus Elem	40%	48%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	165
#48	B-	Fairfield 7 8	Fairfield	Fairfield Elem	40%	38%	Meets Expectations	35
#49	B-	Frenchtown 6 8	Frenchtown	Frenchtown K-12 Schools	40%	34%	Exceeds Expectations	330
#50	B-	Havre Middle School	Havre	Havre Elem	40%	32%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	388
#51	B-	Joliet Middle School	Joliet	Joliet Elem	40%	36%	Exceeds Expectations	95
#52	B-	Kila 7 8	Kila	Kila Elem	40%	32%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	44
#53	B-	Malta 6 7 8	Malta	Malta K-12 Schools	40%	26%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	117
#54	B-	Sun River Middle School	Simms	Sun River Valley Elem	40%	36%	Exceeds Expectations	57
#55	B-	Swan River 6 8	Bigfork	Swan River Elem	40%	25%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	79
#56	B-	Troy 7 8	Troy	Troy Elem	40%	31%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	64
#57	B-	Columbia Falls JR HS	Columbia Falls	Columbia Falls Elem	39%	36%	Exceeds Expectations	526
#58	B-	Eureka Middle School 5 8	Eureka	Eureka Elem	39%	30%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	236
#59	B-	Will James Middle School	Billings	Billings Elem	39%	41%	Meets Expectations	598
#60	B-	Porter Middle School	Missoula	Missoula Elem	38%	34%	Exceeds Expectations	579
#61	C+	East Middle School	Great Falls	Great Falls Elem	38%	29%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	788
#62	C+	Florence Carlton 6 8	Florence	Florence-Carlton K-12 Schls	38%	37%	Meets Expectations	190
#63	C+	Glasgow Middle School	Glasgow	Glasgow K-12 Schools	38%	37%	Meets Expectations	177
#64	C+	Plains 7 8	Plains	Plains K-12	38%	30%	Exceeds Expectations	68
#65	C+	Stevensville 7 8	Stevensville	Stevensville Elem	38%	32%	Exceeds Expectations	151
#66	C+	East Valley Middle School	East Helena	East Helena K-12	37%	36%	Meets Expectations	482
#67	C+	Helena Middle School	Helena	Helena Elem	37%	40%	Meets Expectations	691
#68	C+	Lewis And Clark Middle School	Billings	Billings Elem	37%	37%	Meets Expectations	667
#69	C+	Hamilton Middle School	Hamilton	Hamilton K-12 Schools	36%	34%	Meets Expectations	480
#70	C	Canyon Creek 7 8	Billings	Canyon Creek Elem	35%	37%	Meets Expectations	46
#71	C	Cayuse Prairie 7 8	Kalispell	Cayuse Prairie Elem	35%	39%	Meets Expectations	62
#72	C	Choteau 7 8	Choteau	Choteau Elem	35%	29%	Exceeds Expectations	55
#73	C	E F Duvall 7 8	Deer Lodge	Deer Lodge Elem	35%	27%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	90
#74	C	East Middle School	Butte	Butte Elem	35%	31%	Exceeds Expectations	660
#75	C	Evergreen Junior High	Kalispell	Evergreen Elem	35%	35%	Meets Expectations	291
#76	C	Shepherd Middle School	Shepherd	Shepherd Elem	35%	34%	Meets Expectations	196
#77	C	Thompson Falls 7 8 Thompson Falls	Thompson Falls	Thompson Falls Elem	35%	27%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	73
#78	C	Washington Middle School 6 8	Miles City	Miles City Elem	35%	39%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	349
#79	C	West Yellowstone 6 8	West Yellowstone	West Yellowstone K-12	35%	41%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	65
#80	C	Sleeping Giant Middle Sch	Livingston	Livingston Elem	34%	33%	Meets Expectations	310
#81	C	Elder Grove 7 8	Billings	Elder Grove Elem	33%	37%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	231
#82	C	Sidney Middle School	Sidney	Sidney Elem	33%	39%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	284
#83	C	Three Forks 7 8	Three Forks	Three Forks Elem	33%	35%	Meets Expectations	186
#84	C	Hillcrest 7 8	Harlowton	Harlowton K-12	31%	24%	Exceeds Expectations	33
#85	C	Marion 7 8	Marion	Marion Elem	31%	39%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	35
#86	C	Polson Middle School	Polson	Polson Elem	31%	31%	Meets Expectations	524
#87	C	Sheridan 7 8	Sheridan	Sheridan Elem	31%	32%	Meets Expectations	38
#88	C-	Baker 7 8	Baker	Baker K-12 Schools	30%	45%	Underperforms Expectations	58
#89	C-	Chester Joplin Inverness 7 8	Chester	Chester-Joplin-Inverness El	30%	36%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	38
#90	C-	Fair Mont Egan Middle School	Kalispell	Fair-Mont-Egan Elem	30%	28%	Meets Expectations	46
#91	C-	Forsyth 7 8	Forsyth	Forsyth Elem	30%	33%	Meets Expectations	53
#92	C-	Helena Flats 7 8	Kalispell	Helena Flats Elem	30%	26%	Exceeds Expectations	51
#93	C-	Medicine Crow Middle School	Billings	Billings Elem	30%	35%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	518
#94	C-	Roundup 7 8	Roundup	Roundup Elem	30%	28%	Meets Expectations	90
#95	C-	Shelby 7 8	Shelby	Shelby Elem	30%	30%	Meets Expectations	76
#96	C-	Smith Valley 7 8	Kalispell	Smith Valley Elem	30%	30%	Meets Expectations	56
#97	C-	Huntley Project 7 8 Worden	Worden	Huntley Project K-12 Schools	28%	34%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	124
#98	C-	Laurel Middle School	Laurel	Laurel Elem	28%	46%	Underperforms Expectations	573
#99	C-	Roosevelt Junior High	Red Lodge	Red Lodge Elem	28%	35%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	123
#100	C-	Whitehall 6 8	Whitehall	Whitehall Elem	28%	28%	Meets Expectations	126
#101	C-	Lockwood Middle School	Lockwood	Lockwood K-12	27%	28%	Meets Expectations	433
#102	C-	Fairview 7 8	Fairview	Fairview Elem	26%	31%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	36
#103	C-	Plentywood 7 8	Plentywood	Plentywood K-12 Schools	26%	40%	Underperforms Expectations	50
#104	C-	Superior 7 8	Superior	Superior K-12 Schools	26%	24%	Meets Expectations	42
#105	D	Anaconda JR High School	Anaconda	Anaconda Elem	25%	26%	Meets Expectations	176
#106	D	Boulder 7 8	Boulder	Boulder Elem	25%	29%	Meets Expectations	46
#107	D	Broadus 7 8	Broadus	Broadus Elem	25%	32%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	38
#108	D	Darby 7 8	Darby	Darby K-12 Schools	25%	23%	Meets Expectations	50
#109	D	Park City 7 8	Park City	Park City Elem	25%	36%	Underperforms Expectations	50
#110	D	Riverside Middle School	Billings	Billings Elem	25%	22%	Meets Expectations	492
#111	D	White Sulphur Springs 7 8	White Sulphur Springs	White Sulphur Spgs K-12	25%	35%	Underperforms Expectations	38
#112	D	Ronan Middle School	Ronan	Ronan Elem	24%	22%	Meets Expectations	446
#113	D	Washington Middle School	Glendive	Glendive Elem	24%	32%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	243
#114	D	Frank Brattin Middle Schl	Colstrip	Colstrip Elem	23%	34%	Underperforms Expectations	132
#115	D	Ramsay Middle School	Ramsay		21%	42%	Underperforms Expectations	43
#116	D-	Chinook 7 8	Chinook	Chinook Elem	21%	29%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	57
#117	D-	Lone Rock Middle School	Stevensville	Lone Rock Elem	21%	25%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	65
#118	D-	Absarokee 6 8	Absarokee	Absarokee Elem	20%	43%	Underperforms Expectations	43
#119	D-	Cut Bank Middle School	Cut Bank	Cut Bank Elem	20%	25%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	173
#120	D-	St Ignatius Middle School	St Ignatius	St Ignatius K-12 Schools	20%	27%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	110
#121	D-	Arlee 7 8	Arlee	Arlee Elem	18%	22%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	64
#122	D-	Bonner 6 8	Bonner	Bonner Elem	16%	25%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	122
#123	D-	Desmet 6 8	Missoula	DeSmet Elem	16%	26%	Underperforms Expectations	39
#124	D-	Victor Middle School	Victor	Victor K-12 Schools	16%	23%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	56
#125	D-	Harlem 7 8	Harlem	Harlem Elem	11%	9%	Meets Expectations	100
#126	F	Box Elder 7 8	Box Elder	Box Elder Elem	10%	10%	Meets Expectations	56
#127	F	Hardin Middle School	Hardin	Hardin Elem	10%	18%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	404
#128	F	Heart Butte 6 8	Heart Butte	Heart Butte K-12 Schools	10%	17%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	39
#129	F	Terry Middle School	Terry	Terry K-12 Schools	10%	27%	Underperforms Expectations	32
#130	F	Wolf Point 7 8	Wolf Point	Wolf Point Elem	10%	14%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	124
#131	F	Wyola 6 8	Wyola	Wyola Elem	10%	16%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	32
#132	F	Yellowstone Academy 7 8	Billings	Yellowstone Academy Elem	8%	31%	Underperforms Expectations	34
#133	F	Browning Middle School	Browning	Browning Elem	6%	11%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	402
#134	F	Culbertson Junior High	Culbertson	Culbertson Elem	5%	38%	Underperforms Expectations	59
#135	F	Hays Lodge Pole 7 8	Hays	Hays-Lodge Pole K-12 Schls	5%	11%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	39
#136	F	Lodge Grass 7 8	Lodge Grass	Lodge Grass Elem	5%	17%	Underperforms Expectations	85
#137	F	Rocky Boy 7 8	Box Elder	Rocky Boy Elem	5%	11%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	70
#138	F	Poplar 7 8	Poplar	Poplar Elem	4%	8%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	140
#139	F	Lame Deer 7 8	Lame Deer	Lame Deer Elem	3%	9%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	89

How Montana's middle schools compare

A: 23B: 37C: 44D: 21F: 14

43% of the 139 ranked middle schools in Montana earn an A or B (23 A grades, 37 B, 44 C, 21 D, 14 F), against 46% of middle schools nationwide. 95 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (68% here, 70% nationally), and 59 exceed it. On average 35% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 34% (national averages: 45% actual, 38% projected).

The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Belt 7 8 (70% against 39%, A+), Charlo 6 8 (50% against 25%, A-), Fort Benton 7 8 (60% against 37%, A+), Kalispell Middle School (56% against 33%, A), Shields Valley 7 8 Clyde Park (60% against 40%, A+).

Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 35): Bozeman Elem (2).

Cities with the most ranked middle schools: Billings (10, 4 at A or B), Kalispell (7, 2 at A or B), Missoula (6, 5 at A or B), Bozeman (4, 4 at A or B).

The largest ranked middle schools: C R Anderson Middle Schl (1,067 students, B+, #29), Belgrade Middle School (1,052 students, B+, #30), Kalispell Middle School (1,045 students, A, #10).

Middle schools in Montana that are not ranked

79 graded middle schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.

Very small schools (69)

Schools with fewer than 30 students have grades that swing on a handful of test results.

D- Alberton 7 8, Alberton
D Ashland 7 8, Ashland
A- Augusta 7 8, Augusta
B- Bainville 7 8, Bainville
F Barbara Gilligan 7 8, Brockton
D Belfry 7 8, Belfry
B- Big Sandy 7 8, Big Sandy
D Bissell 7 8, Whitefish
A- Bridger 7 8, Bridger
A+ Broadview 7 8, Broadview
D Custer 7 8, Custer
D Dixon 7 8, Dixon
D Dodson 7 8, Dodson
D- Drummond 7 8, Drummond
D Duttonbrady Middle School, Dutton
D Ekalaka 7 8, Ekalaka
A- Fortine 7 8, Fortine
D Frazer 7 8, Frazer
A- Froid 7 8, Froid
F Fromberg Middle School, Fromberg
B Frontier 7 8, Wolf Point
B Gardiner 7 8, Gardiner
A+ Geraldine Middle School, Geraldine
A- Geyser 7 8, Geyser
D Grass Range 7 8, Grass Range
A+ Greenfield 7 8, Fairfield
A+ Harrison 6 8, Harrison
B- Highwood Middle School, Highwood
D Hinsdale 7 8, Hinsdale
A- Hobson 6 8, Hobson
C- Hot Springs 7 8, Hot Springs
A- Hysham 7 8, Hysham
C Jordan 7 8, Jordan
D- Lambert 7 8, Lambert
A+ Lamotte 6 8, Bozeman
A- Lavina Middle School, Lavina
B- Lincoln 7 8, Lincoln
A- Medicine Lake 7 8, Medicine Lake
A- Melstone Middle School, Melstone
B Moore 6 8, Moore
D Nashua 6 8, Nashua
D Noxon 7 8, Noxon
C Philipsburg 7 8, Philipsburg
A+ Pine Creek 6 8, Livingston
D Plevna 7 8, Plevna
A- Potomac 7 8, Bonner
A- Power 7 8, Power
F Pryor 7 8, Pryor
D Reed Point 7 8, Reed Point
A+ Richey 7 8, Richey
D Roberts 7 8, Roberts
D Rosebud 7 8, Rosebud
A+ Saco 7 8, Saco
C Savage 7 8, Savage
D St Regis 7 8, St Regis
C Stanford 7 8, Stanford
D- Sunburst 7 8, Sunburst
A+ Swan Valley 7 8, Condon
D Trout Creek 7 8, Trout Creek
D Turner 7 8, Turner
C Ulm Junior High, Ulm
D Valier 7 8, Valier
D- Vaughn 7 8, Vaughn
D Westby 7 8, Westby
A- Whitewater 6 8, Whitewater
C Wibaux 7 8, Wibaux
A- Willow Creek 7 8, Willow Creek
A+ Winifred 6 8, Winifred
A- Winnett 7 8, Winnett

Not yet graded (10)

Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.

Arrowhead 7 8, Pray
Denton 7 8, Denton
Judith Gap 7 8, Judith Gap
Lima 7 8, Lima
Opheim 7 8, Opheim
Pine Hills Youth Corr Facil El, Miles City
Rapelje 7 8, Rapelje
Roy 6 8, Roy
Ryegate 7 8, Ryegate
Woodman 7 8, Lolo

About this ranking

Scope: every public middle school in Montana.
Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the middle schools.
Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works

Questions about middle schools in Montana

What is the best middle school in Montana?

Anderson 7 8 in Bozeman ranks first among the 139 ranked middle schools in Montana with a SchoolGrade of A+, 80% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 66%.

How are middle schools in Montana ranked?

By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.

How many middle schools does Montana have?

SchoolGrade grades 218 public middle schools in Montana; 139 are ranked here and 79 are listed as not ranked.