Riverside Middle School

Summary:

Riverside Middle School is a public middle school in Billings, Montana, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 492 students. The school is part of the Billings Elementary School District, which is ranked 169 out of 300 districts in the state and rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Riverside Middle School consistently underperforms compared to the Billings Elementary District and the state of Montana in standardized test scores. In the 2022-2023 school year, only 15.5% of Riverside students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 36.42% for the district and 36.59% for the state. Similarly, in Reading, only 21% of Riverside students were proficient or better, compared to 39.27% for the district and 46.03% for the state. The school's performance in Science is also low, with only 10.67% of students proficient or better, compared to 35.28% for the district and 37.03% for the state. Riverside Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Montana middle schools, with a ranking of 168 out of 187 schools in the 2022-2023 school year, and has been rated 1 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger for the past several years.

When comparing Riverside Middle School to the nearby schools in the Billings Elementary District, it becomes clear that Riverside is underperforming significantly. For example, Ben Steele Middle School, which is only 7.35 miles away, has much higher academic performance, with 45.78% of students proficient or better in Mathematics, 48.98% in Reading, and 47.06% in Science. Similarly, Castle Rock Middle School and Lewis & Clark Middle School, both within a 4-mile radius, also outperform Riverside in academic metrics. Despite the challenges faced by Riverside Middle School, the data indicates that there is room for improvement, and the school's diverse student population could be an asset if the right strategies and resources are put in place to support student learning and achievement.

Detail:

Public 6-8

3700 Madison Avenue
Billings, MT 59101

(406) 281-6000

District: Billings Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
168^th of 187 Montana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,736

Feeder schools for Riverside Middle School:

Elementary:	Big Sky Elementary
	McKinley School
	Newman School
	Orchard School
	More...
	Ponderosa School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.3

Number of students: 460

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.7%

American Indian:

17.2%

Hispanic:

15.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Riverside Middle School ranks worse than 89.8% of middle schools in Montana. It also ranks last among 6 ranked middle schools in the Billings Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.89. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Riverside Middle School has the smallest middle school student body size in the Billings Elementary School District. Student population at Riverside Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (55.7%), American Indian (17.2%), Hispanic (15.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Billings Elementary School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Riverside Middle School is 12.3, which is the lowest among 6 middle schools in the Billings Elementary School District! (See more...)

Compare Riverside Middle School employs 37.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Riverside Middle School is $13,736, which is the highest among 6 middle schools in the Billings Elementary School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Riverside Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Riverside Middle School 168^th of 187 Montana public middle schools. (See Riverside Middle School in the ranking list.)

Billings Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Billings Elementary 169^th of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Riverside Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	38.55	120^th	171	29.8%
2005	31.46	137^th	164	16.5%
2006	37.06	118^th	146	19.2%
2007	42.54	107^th	147	27.2%
2008	34.89	125^th	149	16.1%
2009	35.34	118^th	147	19.7%
2010	38.40	124^th	156	20.5%
2011	38.96	125^th	161	22.4%
2012	37.36	124^th	156	20.5%
2013	29.11	133^rd	159	16.4%
2015	10.82	138^th	156	11.5%
2016	10.33	75^th	81	7.4%
2017	14.27	52^nd	55	5.5%
2018	8.24	55^th	58	5.2%
2019	5.38	58^th	60	3.3%
2021	23.52	164^th	200	18.0%
2022	16.24	162^nd	190	14.7%
2023	9.89	168^th	187	10.2%

See the entire list of Montana Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Montana Office of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Montana Office of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Riverside Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1990	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	493	493
1991	367	2	3	47	38	n/a	n/a	0	457
1992	486	6	4	66	40	n/a	n/a	0	602
1993	430	6	4	71	50	n/a	n/a	0	561
1994	415	13	6	63	68	n/a	n/a	0	565
1995	393	6	3	49	50	n/a	n/a	0	501
1996	393	6	3	49	50	n/a	n/a	0	501
1997	396	8	7	55	67	n/a	n/a	0	533
1998	395	45	8	20	76	n/a	n/a	0	544
1999	386	6	1	55	80	n/a	n/a	0	528
2000	380	6	7	58	89	n/a	n/a	0	540
2001	377	11	8	47	74	n/a	n/a	0	517
2002	326	12	7	60	95	n/a	n/a	0	500
2003	326	12	7	60	95	n/a	n/a	0	500
2004	354	11	6	60	98	n/a	n/a	0	529
2005	417	12	7	52	97	n/a	n/a	0	585
2006	359	8	10	55	82	n/a	n/a	0	514
2007	329	18	13	58	65	n/a	n/a	0	483
2008	347	20	16	60	62	n/a	n/a	0	505
2009	355	14	14	61	62	n/a	n/a	0	506
2010	348	22	12	62	88	n/a	n/a	0	532
2011	317	10	5	79	69	2	14	0	496
2012	346	12	4	91	69	4	13	0	539
2013	335	13	2	85	76	3	12	0	526
2014	343	22	5	101	65	3	21	0	560
2015	330	17	5	107	78	1	31	0	569
2016	334	14	4	101	90	2	37	0	582
2017	337	11	1	94	96	2	48	0	589
2018	276	9	1	99	83	2	50	0	520
2019	299	9	2	98	88	1	62	0	559
2020	309	8	3	110	79	0	76	0	585
2021	297	13	1	89	85	2	71	0	558
2022	295	13	0	87	81	1	60	0	537
2023	285	10	0	79	74	1	43	0	492
2024	256	10	4	71	79	3	37	0	460

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Riverside Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	493	31.6	15.6	18.1
1991	457	25.0	18.2	17.3
1992	602	27.0	22.2	30.7
1993	561	43.3	13.0	39.4
1994	565	40.4	14.0	38.4
1995	501	37.6	13.3	38.1
1996	501	37.6	13.3	38.1
1997	533	37.2	14.3	43
1998	544	37.3	14.6	41.4
1999	528	37.6	14.0	52.7
2000	540	39.5	13.7	49.8
2001	517	36.1	14.3	47.4
2002	500	39.6	12.6	53.2
2003	500	39.6	12.6	53.2
2004	529	41.2	12.8	55.4
2005	585	41.4	14.1	49.7
2006	514	41.5	12.4	48.1
2007	483	41.7	11.6	50.3
2008	505	41.2	12.3	51.9
2009	506	40.3	12.6	48.4
2010	532	40.1	13.2	55.5
2011	496	38.1	12.9	56.9
2012	539	35.2	15.2	57.3
2013	526	35.4	14.8	56.5
2014	560	40.9	13.6	60.2
2015	569	43.0	13.2	65.2
2016	582	43.0	13.5	69.9
2017	589	40.3	14.5	60.1
2018	520	39.1	13.2	60
2019	559	42.2	13.2	66.2
2020	585	42.7	13.7	81.9
2021	558	35.0	15.9	n/a
2022	537	40.9	13.1	n/a
2023	492	40.9	12.0	n/a
2024	460	37.1	12.3	68.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Riverside Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	493	31.6	15.6	18.1
1991	457	25.0	18.2	17.3
1992	602	27.0	22.2	30.7
1993	561	43.3	13.0	39.4
1994	565	40.4	14.0	38.4
1995	501	37.6	13.3	38.1
1996	501	37.6	13.3	38.1
1997	533	37.2	14.3	43
1998	544	37.3	14.6	41.4
1999	528	37.6	14.0	52.7
2000	540	39.5	13.7	49.8
2001	517	36.1	14.3	47.4
2002	500	39.6	12.6	53.2
2003	500	39.6	12.6	53.2
2004	529	41.2	12.8	55.4
2005	585	41.4	14.1	49.7
2006	514	41.5	12.4	48.1
2007	483	41.7	11.6	50.3
2008	505	41.2	12.3	51.9
2009	506	40.3	12.6	48.4
2010	532	40.1	13.2	55.5
2011	496	38.1	12.9	56.9
2012	539	35.2	15.2	57.3
2013	526	35.4	14.8	56.5
2014	560	40.9	13.6	60.2
2015	569	43.0	13.2	65.2
2016	582	43.0	13.5	69.9
2017	589	40.3	14.5	60.1
2018	520	39.1	13.2	60
2019	559	42.2	13.2	66.2
2020	585	42.7	13.7	81.9
2021	558	35.0	15.9	n/a
2022	537	40.9	13.1	n/a
2023	492	40.9	12.0	n/a
2024	460	37.1	12.3	68.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Riverside Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,513
2021	$12,788
2022	$13,147
2023	$13,736

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Riverside Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 58^th of 60 Middle schools	Ranks 168^th of 187 Middle schools	6.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	559	492	12%
African American	9	10	11.1%
American Indian	88	74	15.9%
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	98	79	19.4%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	299	285	4.7%
Two or More Races	62	43	30.6%

Schools Near Riverside Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Montana State Tests Mathematics (2023)	Montana State Tests Reading (2023)	Montana State Tests Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Montana State Tests Mathematics All Grades	Montana State Tests Reading All Grades	Montana State Tests Science All Grades	Total
Riverside Middle School	Public	6-8	3700 Madison Avenue	Billings	59101	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 281-6000	460	37	12.3	68.7%	256 (55.7%)	10 (2.2%)	71 (15.4%)	4 (0.9%)	79 (17.2%)	3 (0.7%)	37 (8.0%)	9.9	168^th of 187 public middle schools	10.2%		16.2	162^nd of 190 public middle schools	14.7%	6	15.5	21.0	10.7	$13,736
Lewis & Clark Middle School	Public	6-8	1315 Lewis Avenue	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-5900	727	45	16.0	48.1%	526 (72.4%)	13 (1.8%)	56 (7.7%)	1 (0.1%)	68 (9.4%)	4 (0.6%)	59 (8.1%)	42	115^th of 187 public middle schools	38.5%		41	127^th of 190 public middle schools	33.2%	12	24.3	38.7	40.6	$11,750
Elysian Middle School	Public	6-8	6416 Elysian Road	Billings	59101	Yellowstone County	Elysian Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 656-4101	130	10	13.6	26.9%	115 (88.5%)	2 (1.5%)	6 (4.6%)	1 (0.8%)	4 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.5%)	72.8	43^rd of 187 public middle schools	77.0%		86.5	20^th of 190 public middle schools	89.5%	23	47.0	56.0	44.0	$10,791
Castle Rock Middle School	Public	6-8	1441 Governors Blvd	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-5800	742	40	18.4	31.4%	596 (80.3%)	6 (0.8%)	51 (6.9%)	2 (0.3%)	32 (4.3%)	2 (0.3%)	53 (7.1%)	55.7	81^st of 187 public middle schools	56.7%		48.4	113^th of 190 public middle schools	40.5%	32	38.3	43.9	40.3	$10,786
Will James Middle School	Public	6-8	1200 30th Street West	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6100	601	35	16.9	36.8%	433 (72.0%)	8 (1.3%)	56 (9.3%)	8 (1.3%)	57 (9.5%)	3 (0.5%)	36 (6.0%)	35.7	133^rd of 187 public middle schools	28.9%		45.8	117^th of 190 public middle schools	38.4%	16	26.7	40.3	28.9	$11,397
Lockwood Middle School	Public	6-8	1932 US Highway 87	Billings	59101	Yellowstone County	Lockwood K-12	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 259-0154	401	26	15.3	57.6%	284 (70.8%)	1 (0.2%)	58 (14.5%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.2%)								(n/a)
Medicine Crow Middle School	Public	6-8	900 Barrett Road	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-8600	468	30	15.7	54.3%	327 (69.9%)	2 (0.4%)	40 (8.5%)	1 (0.2%)	65 (13.9%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.1%)	16.8	161^st of 187 public middle schools	13.9%		24.2	155^th of 190 public middle schools	18.4%	6	15.2	24.3	24.2	$12,569
Canyon Creek 6-8	Public	6-8	3139 Duck Creek Road	Billings	59101	Yellowstone County	Canyon Creek Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 656-4471	47	5	8.7	6.4%	37 (78.7%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (8.5%)	65.1	60^th of 187 public middle schools	67.9%		60.8	74^th of 190 public middle schools	61.1%	14	29.6	52.3	57.1	$17,487
Ben Steele Middle School	Public	6-8	5640 Grand Avenue	Billings	59106	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 601-1600	738	42	17.5	18.2%	617 (83.6%)	3 (0.4%)	34 (4.6%)	11 (1.5%)	29 (3.9%)	2 (0.3%)	42 (5.7%)	69.4	52^nd of 187 public middle schools	72.2%		58.6	78^th of 190 public middle schools	58.9%	26	45.8	49.0	47.1	$11,075
Elder Grove 7-8	Public	6-8	1532 South 64 Street W	Billings	59106	Yellowstone County	Elder Grove Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 656-2893	226	13	17.3	19.5%	201 (88.9%)	2 (0.9%)	10 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	2 (0.9%)	8 (3.5%)	33.2	137^th of 187 public middle schools	26.7%		55	90^th of 190 public middle schools	52.6%	47	26.6	39.3	26.4	$10,006

Frequently Asked Questions about Riverside Middle School

Is Riverside Middle School a good school?

Riverside Middle School ranks in the bottom 10.2% of Montana middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Riverside Middle School?

Students at Riverside Middle School are 56% White, 17% American Indian, 15% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 2% African American.

How many students attend Riverside Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 460 students attended Riverside Middle School.

What district is Riverside Middle School in?

Billings Elementary

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.