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Average

#277 of 603 schools in MT

Top 46% in state

Highland School

Elementary School · Billings Elem · Billings, MT

A Billings Elem elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 5th.

415 North 30th Street, Billings, MT 59101

  • Math 47% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 42% proficient (2022)
  • 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.2Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-3.56 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics7.4Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency47% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency42% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency45% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)44% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+0.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile61th
Resources & Environment5.9Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.9:1
District spending per student$12,015
Chronic Absenteeism22.5%

Students at Highland School score 44% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 44%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MT average.

Math Proficiency47%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency42%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 40 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 45% recently.

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
92%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
87%
2011
Math
72%
ELA
87%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
87%
2014
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
42%
2016
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2017
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2018
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2019
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2020*
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2021*
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2022
Math
47%
ELA
42%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 55% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 56% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 26 test records from MT state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

31.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Highland School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 53Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 59Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,860/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Billings), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$58,165

Median home value

$243,000

Median rent

$930/mo

College educated

22.4%

Homeownership

57.8%

Poverty rate

15.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 59101; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Sunrise Montessori SchoolPrivate · tuition6.4privatePK–60.5 mi42Compare →
Mckinley SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.2PK–50.9 mi299Compare →
Broadwater SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.4PK–51.0 mi301Compare →
Washington SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.7PK–51.3 mi208Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Billings Elem

Schools in district
28
Rank in district
#9 of 28
District spending per student
$12,015NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Highland School is listed in Billings Elem; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Highland School

Highland School is a public elementary school in Billings, MT, part of Billings Elem, serving approximately 271 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 out of 10 and ranks #277 of 603 schools in MT. State assessment records show 55% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Highland School

What grades does Highland School serve?

Highland School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Highland School?

Highland School has an enrollment of approximately 271 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland School?

The student-teacher ratio at Highland School is 15.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highland School rank in MT?

Highland School ranks #277 of 603 schools in MT.

What is Highland School's MySchoolScout rating?

Highland School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Highland School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highland School has 55% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Highland School a charter school?

No, Highland School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Highland School a Title I school?

No, Highland School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Highland School?

31.4% of students at Highland School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
271
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
17
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Yellowstone County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
22.5%
Area population (ZIP 59101)
41,797
Area average commute
17.7 min
Area median age
36.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 59101; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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