Best Schools for Low-income Students in Montana (2026)
These are the Montana public schools where low-income students scored highest on the state reading and math tests, ranked by the average of the two proficiency rates. Only schools with at least 20 tested low-income students are included. The list reflects how students in this group perform at each school; it is not a ranking of schools by their demographic makeup.
Other lists: Asian · Black · Hispanic · Multiracial · American Indian / Alaska Native · White
Elementary schools
| # | School | Reading | Math | Tested | Overall Repit grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawthorne School Missoula | 67% | 72% | 194 | A |
| 2 | Russell School Kalispell | 72% | 62% | 88 | A |
| 3 | Lakeside Elementary School Lakeside | 67% | 62% | 68 | B+ |
| 4 | Cascade School Cascade | 70% | 50% | 30 | A+ |
| 5 | Ridge View Elementary Belgrade | 65% | 55% | 56 | A+ |
| 6 | Russell School Missoula | 62% | 52% | 173 | A+ |
| 7 | Lillian Peterson School Kalispell | 62% | 52% | 191 | A |
| 8 | Cornelius Hedges School Kalispell | 57% | 52% | 161 | A+ |
| 9 | Meadowlark School Billings | 52% | 57% | 62 | A+ |
| 10 | Charlo Elementary Charlo | 65% | 45% | 48 | A |
| 11 | Parkview School Dillon | 62% | 47% | 96 | A |
| 12 | Florence-Carlton El Schl Florence | 52% | 52% | 85 | B+ |
| 13 | Central Heights School Billings | 47% | 57% | 79 | C+ |
| 14 | Lone Rock School Stevensville | 70% | 30% | 25 | A+ |
| 15 | Deer Park School Columbia Falls | 70% | 30% | 21 | A+ |
| 16 | H C Davis Elementary Cut Bank | 35% | 65% | 42 | C+ |
| 17 | Hawthorne School Helena | 50% | 50% | 26 | B+ |
| 18 | Meadowlark Elementary Bozeman | 50% | 50% | 30 | A |
| 19 | Canyon Creek School Billings | 50% | 50% | 25 | C |
| 20 | Ruder Elementary Columbia Falls | 47% | 52% | 99 | B+ |
| 21 | Manhattan Elem Manhattan | 50% | 50% | 25 | A |
| 22 | Monforton School Bozeman | 50% | 50% | 25 | A |
| 23 | West Valley School Kalispell | 52% | 47% | 61 | B+ |
| 24 | L A Muldown School Whitefish | 45% | 55% | 59 | A |
| 25 | Edgerton School Kalispell | 52% | 42% | 106 | A |
Middle schools
| # | School | Reading | Math | Tested | Overall Repit grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfield Elementary School Fairfield | 75% | 75% | 39 | A+ |
| 2 | Belt School Belt | 65% | 75% | 32 | A |
| 3 | Lincoln Elementary School Lincoln | 65% | 65% | 45 | A+ |
| 4 | Fort Benton School Fort Benton | 65% | 65% | 47 | A+ |
| 5 | Marion 7-8 Marion | 70% | 50% | 20 | A |
| 6 | Blue Creek School Billings | 70% | 50% | 20 | B |
| 7 | Dillon Middle School Dillon | 62% | 47% | 107 | C+ |
| 8 | Ennis School Ennis | 55% | 55% | 34 | A+ |
| 9 | Chief Joseph School Great Falls | 52% | 57% | 84 | B |
| 10 | Loy School Great Falls | 55% | 55% | 53 | C+ |
| 11 | Meadow Lark School Great Falls | 55% | 55% | 34 | A+ |
| 12 | Kila School Kila | 65% | 45% | 42 | C |
| 13 | Plains Elementary School Plains | 57% | 47% | 91 | B+ |
| 14 | Sunnyside School Great Falls | 52% | 52% | 225 | C |
| 15 | Libby Elementary School Libby | 52% | 52% | 182 | C |
| 16 | Chester-Joplin-Inverness Schl Chester | 70% | 30% | 25 | A |
| 17 | Boulder Elementary School Boulder | 50% | 50% | 30 | A |
| 18 | Boulder 7-8 Boulder | 50% | 50% | 29 | B+ |
| 19 | West Elementary School Butte | 57% | 42% | 257 | B |
| 20 | Choteau School Choteau | 55% | 45% | 38 | C |
| 21 | Ekalaka Elementary School Ekalaka | 50% | 50% | 22 | A |
| 22 | Fairfield 7-8 Fairfield | 50% | 50% | 26 | A |
| 23 | Forsyth Elementary School Forsyth | 45% | 55% | 53 | A+ |
| 24 | Froid Elementary School Froid | 50% | 50% | 22 | A+ |
| 25 | Porter Middle School Missoula | 59% | 40% | 534 | C+ |
High schools
| # | School | Reading | Math | Tested | Overall Repit grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stevensville High School Stevensville | 50% | 50% | 24 | A |
| 2 | Hamilton High School Hamilton | 50% | 30% | 28 | A |
| 3 | St Ignatius High School St Ignatius | 50% | 30% | 29 | B+ |
| 4 | Bozeman High School Bozeman | 50% | 30% | 24 | A |
| 5 | Anaconda Sr High School Anaconda | 50% | 30% | 30 | B |
| 6 | Belgrade High School Belgrade | 45% | 35% | 46 | B+ |
| 7 | Capital High School Helena | 45% | 35% | 39 | A |
| 8 | Glacier High School Kalispell | 42% | 22% | 78 | B+ |
| 9 | Thompson Falls High Schl Thompson Falls | 30% | 30% | 21 | C+ |
| 10 | Polson High School Polson | 30% | 30% | 23 | B |
| 11 | Dawson High School Glendive | 50% | 10% | 21 | C+ |
| 12 | Frenchtown High School Frenchtown | 50% | 10% | 22 | A+ |
| 13 | Huntley Project High Schl Worden | 50% | 10% | 25 | B+ |
| 14 | Park High School Livingston | 35% | 25% | 33 | A |
| 15 | Havre High School Havre | 35% | 25% | 37 | B+ |
| 16 | Corvallis High School Corvallis | 35% | 25% | 35 | B+ |
| 17 | Ronan High School Ronan | 37% | 17% | 61 | C+ |
| 18 | Helena High School Helena | 35% | 15% | 60 | B+ |
| 19 | Hellgate High School Missoula | 25% | 25% | 46 | B+ |
| 20 | Flathead High School Kalispell | 32% | 17% | 111 | B |
| 21 | Custer Co District High Miles City | 25% | 25% | 44 | B |
| 22 | C M Russell High School Great Falls | 22% | 22% | 74 | B |
| 23 | Skyview High School Billings | 22% | 22% | 93 | C+ |
| 24 | Box Elder High School Box Elder | 30% | 10% | 24 | D |
| 25 | Laurel High School Laurel | 30% | 10% | 22 | C |
Source: U.S. Department of Education EDFacts (state assessment results by student group) via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Small schools report results as ranges; we use the midpoint. Methodology