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Public elementary school · Billings Elem · Billings, Montana

Meadowlark School

Meadowlark School rates 8.5, among the strongest elementary schools in Billings Elem, where the rated median is 5.6.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
8.5this school

8.5 on a one-to-ten scale; the Billings Elem median is 5.6.

#47 of 605 schools in Montana · Billings Elem: 22 elementary schools rated, median 5.6

The brief

A Billings Elem elementary school where students score 6 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 47 of 605 schools in Montana and 1 of 28 in Billings Elem.

Meadowlark School is listed in Billings Elem, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math57%297 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Reading54%297 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Proficiency has fallen 10 points since 2019, to 56% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).2022 EdFacts; 28 test records from MT state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
9.7
50% of the rating
Academics
8.7
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.1
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2024

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 60% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 61% (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

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

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Meadowlark School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$58,165
Median home value
$243,000
Median rent
$930/mo
College educated
22.4%
Homeownership
57.8%
Poverty rate
15.6%

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

Getting around

Walk Score
43
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
58
Bikeable
City reported crime
3,259/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Billings. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Billings), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
16.3%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Meadowlark Schoolthis school
    8.5
  2. 8.2Compare →
  3. 7.7Compare →
  4. 7.5Compare →
  5. 6.5Compare →
  6. 5.7Compare →
  7. 4.6Compare →
  8. 4.5Compare →
  9. 3.4Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Meadowlark School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Meadowlark School serve?

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

How many students attend Meadowlark School?

Meadowlark School has an enrollment of approximately 707 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Meadowlark School?

The student-teacher ratio at Meadowlark School is 18.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Meadowlark School rank in MT?

Meadowlark School ranks #47 of 605 schools in MT.

What is Meadowlark School's MySchoolScout rating?

Meadowlark School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.5 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 Meadowlark School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Meadowlark School has 60% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Meadowlark School a charter school?

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

Is Meadowlark School a Title I school?

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

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

16.3% of students at Meadowlark 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 facts

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
707
Student-teacher ratio
18.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
38
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize City
County
Yellowstone County
Rank in district
#1 of 28
Schools in district
28
District spending per student
$12,015
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.9%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 59101)
41,797
Area average commute
17.7 min
Area median age
36.5

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Montana Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.