Best High Schools in Montana

High schools
174
Students
45,523
Avg actual
29%
Avg projected
33%
Impact
meet expectations

The top high schools in Montana, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Sunburst High School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

38%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Sunburst K-12 Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 40 Students

2. Bozeman High School

A+

SchoolGrade

62%

Actual Test Scores

53%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Bozeman H S • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1280 Students

3. Lone Peak High School

A+

SchoolGrade

60%

Actual Test Scores

43%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Big Sky School K-12 • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 118 Students

4. Gardiner High School

A+

SchoolGrade

58%

Actual Test Scores

46%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Gardiner H S • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 56 Students

5. Plevna High School

A+

SchoolGrade

58%

Actual Test Scores

40%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Plevna K-12 Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 25 Students

6. Chester-joplin-inverness Hs

A+

SchoolGrade

58%

Actual Test Scores

37%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Chester-joplin-inverness Hs • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 65 Students

7. Harrison High School

A+

SchoolGrade

58%

Actual Test Scores

33%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Harrison K-12 Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 27 Students

8. Manhattan H S

A+

SchoolGrade

52%

Actual Test Scores

42%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Manhattan High School • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 239 Students

9. Belt High School

A+

SchoolGrade

47%

Actual Test Scores

49%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Belt H S • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 91 Students

10. Baker High School

A+

SchoolGrade

47%

Actual Test Scores

46%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Baker K-12 Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 128 Students

See all 136 high schools here ranked

Best Middle Schools in Montana

Middle schools
225
Students
32,793
Avg actual
36%
Avg projected
35%
Impact
meet expectations

The top middle schools in Montana, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Anderson 7-8

A+

SchoolGrade

80%

Actual Test Scores

66%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Anderson Elem • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 46 Students

2. Pine Creek 6-8

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

71%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Pine Creek Elem • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 10 Students

3. Swan Valley 7-8

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

59%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Swan Valley Elem • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 4 Students

4. Greenfield 7-8

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

55%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Greenfield Elem • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 17 Students

5. Geraldine Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

46%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Geraldine K-12 • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 10 Students

6. Harrison 6-8

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

46%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Harrison K-12 Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 12 Students

7. Richey 7-8

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

46%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Richey Elem • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 10 Students

8. Saco 7-8

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

39%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Saco Elem • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 7 Students

9. Belt 7-8

A+

SchoolGrade

70%

Actual Test Scores

39%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Belt Elem • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 50 Students

10. Monforton 6-8

A+

SchoolGrade

65%

Actual Test Scores

52%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Monforton Elem • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 218 Students

See all 139 middle schools here ranked

Best Elementary Schools in Montana

Elementary schools
492
Students
77,249
Avg actual
39%
Avg projected
39%
Impact
meet expectations

The top elementary schools in Montana, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Morning Star School

A+

SchoolGrade

78%

Actual Test Scores

63%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Bozeman Elem • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 424 Students

2. Luther School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

62%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Luther Elem • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 11 Students

3. Cottonwood School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

61%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Cottonwood Elem • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 19 Students

4. Hammond School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

59%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Hawks Home Elem • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 10 Students

5. Benton Lake School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

56%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Benton Lake Elem • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 9 Students

6. Alder School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

54%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Alder Elem • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 17 Students

7. Cohagen School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

52%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Cohagen Elem • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 13 Students

8. Hall School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

52%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Hall Elem • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 23 Students

9. Opheim School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

51%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Opheim K-12 Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 21 Students

10. Reichle School

A+

SchoolGrade

75%

Actual Test Scores

50%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Reichle Elem • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 17 Students

See all 300 elementary schools here ranked

Education & Community Snapshot in Montana

State-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.

Community Factors

Montana has a total population of 1,084,225 with 22% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 95%, and 35% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Students in Montana

159,897

K-12 Students

High School Graduates

95%

Adults 25+ with HS diplomas

College Graduates

35%

Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher

Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Montana.

Safety

Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.

Overall Crime Grade

C-

24.62 per 1,000 Residents

Violent Crime Grade

D+

4.87 per 1,000 Residents

Property Crime Grade

C-

19.75 per 1,000 Residents

Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Montana.

Connectivity

Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Montana.

ISP Report Card

C+

Internet Infrastructure Grade

Average Download Speed

1,204 Mbps

Speed Most Residents Can Get

Digital Connectivity Index

56 / 100

ISP Connectivity Demand Report

To read more about these statistics, please visit Montana Internet Health Assessment.

Questions About Schools in Montana

How many schools are in Montana?

Montana has 932 public schools: 174 high schools, 225 middle schools and 492 elementary schools, serving 159,897 students in total.

How do schools in Montana perform on state tests?

On average, 932 schools in Montana score 36% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 37%, so on average schools in Montana meet expectations.

How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Montana?

Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.

Best Schools in Cities Near Montana

Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.

Idaho

  • Actual: 44%
  • Projected: 42%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Wyoming

  • Actual: 53%
  • Projected: 45%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Washington

  • Actual: 47%
  • Projected: 41%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Utah

  • Actual: 44%
  • Projected: 39%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
North Dakota

  • Actual: 43%
  • Projected: 40%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Oregon

  • Actual: 34%
  • Projected: 37%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Colorado

  • Actual: 39%
  • Projected: 34%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
South Dakota

  • Actual: 45%
  • Projected: 41%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Nevada

  • Actual: 33%
  • Projected: 30%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Nebraska

  • Actual: 62%
  • Projected: 49%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations

Every city and county in Montana

School rankings for each place: 563 cities, towns and neighborhoods, and 57 counties.

Counties

Cities and towns

School district map of Montana

Every public school district in Montana with graded schools. Hover for the district and its school count; click to open its page.

shaded by the district's average SchoolGrade, F to A; grey = not yet graded. Boundaries from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Districts without a page (fewer than three graded schools) are not linked.

Largest school districts in Montana

The 25 districts with the most graded schools in Montana. Each district page lists every one of its schools.