West Elementary

Summary:

West Elementary is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in Great Falls, MT, with a student population of 463 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school's racial makeup is predominantly White (70.84%), with smaller percentages of Native American (10.15%), two or more races (14.04%), Hispanic (4.75%), and African American (0.22%) students.

Despite its relatively low student-teacher ratio, West Elementary consistently underperforms compared to the Great Falls Elementary district and the state of Montana in standardized test scores across Mathematics, Reading, and Science. In the 2022-2023 school year, only 16.18% of West Elementary students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 35.13% for the Great Falls Elementary district and 36.59% for the state. The school has a low statewide ranking, placing between 292nd and 278th out of 332 Montana elementary schools in the past three school years, and has received a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating it is among the lowest-performing schools in the state.

Interestingly, West Elementary's academic performance lags significantly behind many of the nearby schools in the Great Falls Elementary district, such as Meadow Lark School, which had 61.42% of students proficient or better in Mathematics, 68.52% in Reading, and 79.27% in Science - far exceeding West Elementary's results. The school's consistent underperformance and low statewide ranking suggest the need for a closer examination of the factors contributing to its performance and the implementation of targeted interventions to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

1205 1st Avenue NW
Great Falls, MT 59404

(406) 268-7180

District: Great Falls Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
292^nd of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,059

Students who attend West Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	North Middle School
High:	C M Russell High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.5

Number of students: 463

Racial breakdown:

White:

68.7%

Two or more races:

15.1%

American Indian:

8.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 86.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details West Elementary ranks worse than 88% of elementary schools in Montana. It also ranks 13^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 14.67. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (68.7%), two or more races (15.1%), American Indian (8.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 86.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Elementary is 14.5, which is the 6^th best among 15 elementary schools in the Great Falls Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare West Elementary employs 31.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Elementary is $11,059. 11 elementary schools in the Great Falls Elementary School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

West Elementary 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.)

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Rank History for West Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	77.87	40^th	217	81.6%
2005	74.34	50^th	218	77.1%
2006	63.37	82^nd	234	65.0%
2007	56.74	114^th	230	50.4%
2008	71.33	46^th	194	76.3%
2009	66.11	62^nd	190	67.4%
2010	61.20	95^th	241	60.6%
2011	64.15	93^rd	247	62.3%
2012	57.84	113^th	244	53.7%
2013	49.54	159^th	246	35.4%
2015	17.85	248^th	287	13.6%
2016	11.94	175^th	191	8.4%
2017	11.89	105^th	109	3.7%
2018	14.74	111^th	116	4.3%
2019	19.39	106^th	123	13.8%
2021	20.07	299^th	356	16.0%
2022	23.62	278^th	329	15.5%
2023	14.67	292^nd	332	12.0%

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

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Enrollment information for West Elementary

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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	634	634
1991	559	6	6	1	71	n/a	n/a	0	643
1992	535	6	6	3	83	n/a	n/a	0	633
1993	518	6	14	5	75	n/a	n/a	0	618
1994	570	2	6	7	58	n/a	n/a	0	643
1995	498	4	6	4	85	n/a	n/a	0	597
1996	498	4	6	4	85	n/a	n/a	0	597
1997	482	6	4	8	54	n/a	n/a	0	554
1998	474	7	4	8	64	n/a	n/a	0	557
1999	453	10	4	9	69	n/a	n/a	0	545
2000	449	8	2	6	62	n/a	n/a	0	527
2001	429	8	3	7	68	n/a	n/a	0	515
2002	387	6	3	5	57	n/a	n/a	0	458
2003	387	6	3	5	57	n/a	n/a	0	458
2004	362	9	2	6	51	n/a	n/a	0	430
2005	349	6	1	6	70	n/a	n/a	0	432
2006	407	11	3	2	80	n/a	n/a	0	503
2007	419	9	2	3	89	n/a	n/a	0	522
2008	413	11	4	8	84	n/a	n/a	0	520
2009	398	9	5	13	63	n/a	n/a	0	488
2010	403	8	5	14	60	n/a	n/a	0	490
2011	378	8	1	17	68	3	0	0	475
2012	380	10	3	11	82	1	1	0	488
2013	364	12	2	8	91	1	5	0	483
2014	368	9	4	13	80	0	12	0	486
2015	358	5	1	27	91	2	22	0	506
2016	329	6	1	19	93	0	40	0	488
2017	313	2	1	21	79	0	47	0	463
2018	315	1	1	26	75	0	62	0	480
2019	288	2	0	24	58	0	45	0	417
2020	298	0	0	23	45	0	60	0	426
2021	311	1	0	14	43	0	62	0	431
2022	322	1	0	22	49	0	69	0	463
2023	328	1	0	22	47	0	65	0	463
2024	318	0	0	36	39	0	70	0	463

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 West Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	634	31.5	20.1	18.9
1991	643	26.2	24.5	8.9
1992	633	24.0	26.3	28.8
1993	618	28.8	21.5	32.5
1994	643	30.8	20.9	35.5
1995	597	31.8	18.8	35.8
1996	597	31.8	18.8	35.8
1997	554	31.1	17.8	35.6
1998	557	29.0	19.2	39.3
1999	545	29.5	18.5	50.3
2000	527	30.9	17.1	49.9
2001	515	30.8	16.7	50.9
2002	458	30.3	15.1	49.1
2003	458	30.3	15.1	49.1
2004	430	29.3	14.7	48.4
2005	432	26.8	16.1	52.3
2006	503	31.1	16.2	46.5
2007	522	32.5	16.1	50.8
2008	520	29.8	17.4	55.6
2009	488	30.8	15.8	57.8
2010	490	31.1	15.7	63.5
2011	475	33.2	14.2	55.6
2012	488	31.6	15.4	61.7
2013	483	35.7	13.5	67.9
2014	486	34.8	13.9	72.2
2015	506	35.0	14.4	100
2016	488	33.0	14.7	100
2017	463	32.6	14.1	100
2018	480	30.6	15.6	100
2019	417	30.5	13.6	56.4
2020	426	30.4	13.9	50.2
2021	431	28.8	14.9	n/a
2022	463	29.2	15.8	n/a
2023	463	29.4	15.7	n/a
2024	463	31.8	14.5	86.4

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 West Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	634	31.5	20.1	18.9
1991	643	26.2	24.5	8.9
1992	633	24.0	26.3	28.8
1993	618	28.8	21.5	32.5
1994	643	30.8	20.9	35.5
1995	597	31.8	18.8	35.8
1996	597	31.8	18.8	35.8
1997	554	31.1	17.8	35.6
1998	557	29.0	19.2	39.3
1999	545	29.5	18.5	50.3
2000	527	30.9	17.1	49.9
2001	515	30.8	16.7	50.9
2002	458	30.3	15.1	49.1
2003	458	30.3	15.1	49.1
2004	430	29.3	14.7	48.4
2005	432	26.8	16.1	52.3
2006	503	31.1	16.2	46.5
2007	522	32.5	16.1	50.8
2008	520	29.8	17.4	55.6
2009	488	30.8	15.8	57.8
2010	490	31.1	15.7	63.5
2011	475	33.2	14.2	55.6
2012	488	31.6	15.4	61.7
2013	483	35.7	13.5	67.9
2014	486	34.8	13.9	72.2
2015	506	35.0	14.4	100
2016	488	33.0	14.7	100
2017	463	32.6	14.1	100
2018	480	30.6	15.6	100
2019	417	30.5	13.6	56.4
2020	426	30.4	13.9	50.2
2021	431	28.8	14.9	n/a
2022	463	29.2	15.8	n/a
2023	463	29.4	15.7	n/a
2024	463	31.8	14.5	86.4

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 West Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$8,649
2021	$10,465
2022	$10,957
2023	$11,059

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Elementary

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 106^th of 123 Elementary schools	Ranks 292^nd of 332 Elementary schools	1.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	417	463	11%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	58	47	19%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	24	22	8.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	288	328	13.9%
Two or More Races	45	65	44.4%

Schools Near West Elementary

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about West Elementary

What schools do graduates of West Elementary attend?

Students who attend West Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : North Middle School
High : C M Russell High School

How many students attend West Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 463 students attended West Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of West Elementary?

Students at West Elementary are 69% White, 15% Two or more races, 8% American Indian, 8% Hispanic.

Is West Elementary a good school?

West Elementary ranks in the bottom 12.0% of Montana elementary schools.

What district is West Elementary in?

Great Falls 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.