Whittier School

Summary:

Whittier School is an elementary school in Great Falls, MT, serving 199 students in grades PK-6. While part of the Great Falls Elementary District, which is ranked 162 out of 300 districts in Montana, Whittier School consistently underperforms compared to the district and state averages in academic achievement.

Only 11.9% of Whittier students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 35.13% in the district and 36.59% statewide. Similarly, just 11.11% were proficient or better in Reading, compared to 43.92% in the district and 46.03% statewide. However, Whittier School has a more diverse student population, with 41.21% White, 10.55% Hispanic, 25.63% Native American, and 21.11% two or more races, in contrast to the nearby schools like Sacajawea School and Lincoln School, which have higher percentages of White students.

The lack of available data on free and reduced-price lunch rates at Whittier School suggests it may serve a higher proportion of students from low-income families, which could contribute to the significant achievement gap. Despite these challenges, Whittier School's unique demographic and academic profile presents an opportunity for the district to implement targeted interventions and support programs to address the specific needs of its student population and work towards more equitable educational outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

305 8th Street North
Great Falls, MT 59401

(406) 268-7230

District: Great Falls Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
304^th of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,992

Students who attend Whittier School usually attend:

Middle:	East Middle School
High:	Great Falls High School

Student/teacher ratio: 9.4

Number of students: 189

Racial breakdown:

White:

36.0%

American Indian:

30.2%

Two or more races:

24.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Whittier School ranks worse than 91.6% of elementary schools in Montana. It also ranks 14^th among 15 ranked elementary schools in the Great Falls Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.53. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Whittier School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Great Falls Elementary School District. Student population at Whittier School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (36%), American Indian (30.2%), two or more races (24.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Great Falls Elementary School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whittier School is 9.4, which is the lowest among 15 elementary schools in the Great Falls Elementary School District! (See more...)

Compare Whittier School employs 19.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whittier School is $14,992, which is the highest among 15 elementary schools in the Great Falls Elementary School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Great Falls Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Great Falls Elementary 162^nd of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Whittier School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	93.05	10^th	217	95.4%
2005	15.13	199^th	218	8.7%
2006	52.04	130^th	234	44.4%
2007	39.91	174^th	230	24.3%
2010	24.19	208^th	241	13.7%
2011	16.22	220^th	247	10.9%
2012	16.34	211^th	244	13.5%
2013	18.85	210^th	246	14.6%
2015	9.97	270^th	287	5.9%
2021	8.00	335^th	356	5.9%
2022	21.81	281^st	329	14.6%
2023	10.53	304^th	332	8.4%

See the entire list of Montana Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Montana Office of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, October 9, 2010

Whittier is a small excellent school. The Principal Ryan Hart is outstanding and so is his staff. Small classes and nice, caring teachers. The low acedemic rating is due to a high transient population of students rather than the ones that stay at the school. The PTA is small but very active and very well funded. There are no school buses which makes this a great old walk to neighborhood school. Parents and teachers keep very close eyes on students and people around the school. This is an old, very clean school with hardwood floors. It is more like a family with everyone watching out for each other. Parents range from millionaires to low income and everyone gets along great. It's the children who matter and this is very evident. A+++++ Close Quote

Enrollment information for Whittier 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	280	280
1991	179	1	2	5	84	n/a	n/a	0	271
1992	183	2	2	6	78	n/a	n/a	0	271
1993	192	2	3	3	79	n/a	n/a	0	279
1994	173	0	3	6	88	n/a	n/a	0	270
1995	176	7	1	5	57	n/a	n/a	0	246
1996	176	7	1	5	57	n/a	n/a	0	246
1997	165	8	2	8	71	n/a	n/a	0	254
1998	130	6	1	2	63	n/a	n/a	0	202
1999	143	3	1	5	69	n/a	n/a	0	221
2000	137	5	4	4	58	n/a	n/a	0	208
2001	142	5	4	2	64	n/a	n/a	0	217
2002	138	5	1	2	63	n/a	n/a	0	209
2003	138	5	1	2	63	n/a	n/a	0	209
2004	131	5	3	4	64	n/a	n/a	0	207
2005	119	6	3	8	60	n/a	n/a	0	196
2006	152	8	4	7	69	n/a	n/a	0	240
2007	125	6	2	6	68	n/a	n/a	0	207
2008	148	9	1	3	72	n/a	n/a	0	233
2009	138	5	2	11	66	n/a	n/a	0	222
2010	138	6	2	6	79	n/a	n/a	0	231
2011	134	10	3	12	66	1	0	0	226
2012	148	12	2	6	59	1	0	0	228
2013	136	13	0	6	82	0	3	0	240
2014	149	13	1	8	94	0	5	0	270
2015	147	12	1	10	85	0	12	0	267
2016	134	12	0	14	98	2	20	0	280
2017	114	8	0	16	81	4	25	0	248
2018	105	4	2	18	76	4	30	0	239
2019	115	3	2	17	61	3	46	0	247
2020	100	4	5	20	68	2	45	0	244
2021	86	3	5	19	40	2	45	0	200
2022	100	2	2	19	54	4	46	0	227
2023	82	1	2	21	51	0	42	0	199
2024	68	1	0	17	57	0	46	0	189

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 Whittier School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	280	15.0	18.6	18.9
1991	271	13.0	20.8	26.9
1992	271	12.0	22.5	69
1993	279	15.8	17.7	63.4
1994	270	16.2	16.7	66.7
1995	246	13.2	18.6	64.6
1996	246	13.2	18.6	64.6
1997	254	14.6	17.4	70.5
1998	202	14.2	14.2	64.9
1999	221	14.2	15.6	66.1
2000	208	16.0	13.0	79.3
2001	217	17.8	12.2	70
2002	209	19.1	10.9	58.9
2003	209	19.1	10.9	58.9
2004	207	19.4	10.7	59.4
2005	196	17.8	11.0	64.3
2006	240	18.0	13.3	67.1
2007	207	18.0	11.5	66.2
2008	233	19.4	12.0	72.1
2009	222	15.2	14.6	73.9
2010	231	19.1	12.0	81
2011	226	18.2	12.3	81.9
2012	228	17.6	12.9	82
2013	240	18.5	12.9	89.2
2014	270	18.6	14.4	90.4
2015	267	22.0	12.1	100
2016	280	21.0	13.3	100
2017	248	19.2	12.8	100
2018	239	18.8	12.6	100
2019	247	19.5	12.6	81.8
2020	244	19.9	12.2	50
2021	200	18.3	10.8	n/a
2022	227	18.7	12.0	n/a
2023	199	19.9	9.9	n/a
2024	189	19.9	9.4	99.5

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 Whittier School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	280	15.0	18.6	18.9
1991	271	13.0	20.8	26.9
1992	271	12.0	22.5	69
1993	279	15.8	17.7	63.4
1994	270	16.2	16.7	66.7
1995	246	13.2	18.6	64.6
1996	246	13.2	18.6	64.6
1997	254	14.6	17.4	70.5
1998	202	14.2	14.2	64.9
1999	221	14.2	15.6	66.1
2000	208	16.0	13.0	79.3
2001	217	17.8	12.2	70
2002	209	19.1	10.9	58.9
2003	209	19.1	10.9	58.9
2004	207	19.4	10.7	59.4
2005	196	17.8	11.0	64.3
2006	240	18.0	13.3	67.1
2007	207	18.0	11.5	66.2
2008	233	19.4	12.0	72.1
2009	222	15.2	14.6	73.9
2010	231	19.1	12.0	81
2011	226	18.2	12.3	81.9
2012	228	17.6	12.9	82
2013	240	18.5	12.9	89.2
2014	270	18.6	14.4	90.4
2015	267	22.0	12.1	100
2016	280	21.0	13.3	100
2017	248	19.2	12.8	100
2018	239	18.8	12.6	100
2019	247	19.5	12.6	81.8
2020	244	19.9	12.2	50
2021	200	18.3	10.8	n/a
2022	227	18.7	12.0	n/a
2023	199	19.9	9.9	n/a
2024	189	19.9	9.4	99.5

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 Whittier School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,712
2021	$13,395
2022	$13,694
2023	$14,992

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Whittier 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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	247	199	19.4%
African American	3	1	66.7%
American Indian	61	51	16.4%
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	17	21	23.5%
Pacific Islander	3	0	100%
White	115	82	28.7%
Two or More Races	46	42	8.7%

Schools Near Whittier 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
Whittier School	Public	PK, KG-6	305 8th Street North	Great Falls	59401	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-7230	189	20	9.4	99.5%	68 (36.0%)	1 (0.5%)	17 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (30.2%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (24.3%)	10.5	304^th of 332 public elementary schools	8.4%		21.8	281^st of 329 public elementary schools	14.6%	23	11.9	11.1	21.2	$14,992
Longfellow School	Public	PK, KG-6	1100 6th Ave So	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-6845	316	22	14.2	98.7%	132 (41.8%)	7 (2.2%)	41 (13.0%)	1 (0.3%)	75 (23.7%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (19.0%)	8.8	306^th of 332 public elementary schools	7.8%		9	309^th of 329 public elementary schools	6.1%	3	10.4	17.4	16.1	$12,979
Riverview School	Public	PK, KG-6	100 Smelter Avenue	Great Falls	59404	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 268-7015	449	22	20.0	40.8%	351 (78.2%)	5 (1.1%)	29 (6.5%)	4 (0.9%)	18 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (9.4%)	74	86^th of 332 public elementary schools	74.1%		75.5	91^st of 329 public elementary schools	72.3%	5	40.8	52.2	59.0	$10,928
Sacajawea School	Public	PK, KG-6	630 Sacajawea Drive	Great Falls	59404	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 268-7080	398	21	19.0	47.5%	324 (81.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.8%)	2 (0.5%)	11 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (9.5%)	71.3	96^th of 332 public elementary schools	71.1%		74.9	95^th of 329 public elementary schools	71.1%	1	47.4	51.8	45.5	$11,218
Lincoln School	Public	PK, KG-6	624 27th Street South	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 268-6800	384	21	18.3	56.8%	283 (73.7%)	2 (0.5%)	25 (6.5%)	3 (0.8%)	22 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (12.8%)	62.1	130^th of 332 public elementary schools	60.8%		71.6	108^th of 329 public elementary schools	67.2%	22	39.8	47.6	43.6	$11,757
Valley View School	Public	PK, KG-6	900 Avenue A NW	Great Falls	59404	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-7145	304	20	15.3	54.3%	229 (75.3%)	1 (0.3%)	24 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (12.8%)	41.4	224^th of 332 public elementary schools	32.5%		44.5	219^th of 329 public elementary schools	33.4%	5	19.4	37.5	45.0	$13,144
Sunnyside School	Public	PK, KG-6	1800 19th Street South	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-7115	406	23	17.6	83.0%	246 (60.6%)	6 (1.5%)	46 (11.3%)	1 (0.2%)	38 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (17.0%)	36.7	236^th of 332 public elementary schools	28.9%		55.8	168^th of 329 public elementary schools	48.9%	68	31.5	34.6	31.0	$11,129
West Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1205 1st Avenue NW	Great Falls	59404	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-7180	463	32	14.5	86.4%	318 (68.7%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (15.1%)	14.7	292^nd of 332 public elementary schools	12.0%		23.6	278^th of 329 public elementary schools	15.5%	14	16.2	23.5	20.3	$11,059
Giant Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	520 32nd Street North	Great Falls	59401	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-7045	439	26	16.6	83.6%	317 (72.2%)	4 (0.9%)	27 (6.2%)	2 (0.5%)	28 (6.4%)	1 (0.2%)	60 (13.7%)	49	192^nd of 332 public elementary schools	42.2%		52	188^th of 329 public elementary schools	42.9%	4	28.9	41.7	42.9	$10,355
Meadow Lark School	Public	PK, KG-6	2204 Fox Farm Road	Great Falls	59404	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 268-7300	531	24	21.6	17.7%	450 (84.7%)	3 (0.6%)	34 (6.4%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.4%)	94.8	12^th of 332 public elementary schools	96.4%		95.5	17^th of 329 public elementary schools	94.8%	5	61.4	68.5	79.3	$10,171

Frequently Asked Questions about Whittier School

Is Whittier School a good school?

Whittier School ranks in the bottom 8.4% of Montana elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Whittier School attend?

Students who attend Whittier School usually go on to attend:

Middle : East Middle School
High : Great Falls High School

What district is Whittier School in?

Great Falls Elementary

How many students attend Whittier School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 189 students attended Whittier School.

What is the racial makeup of Whittier School?

Students at Whittier School are 36% White, 30% American Indian, 24% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic.

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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.