Dayton School

Q: Is Dayton School a good school?

Dayton School ranks 178 th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dayton School is a small elementary school in Dayton, MT, serving grades PK-6 with a total enrollment of 43 students. It is part of the Kila Elementary district, which is ranked 159 out of 300 districts in Montana and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

One of Dayton School's unique characteristics is its high racial diversity, with 25.58% of students identifying as two or more races, significantly higher than the surrounding schools, which range from 0% to 14.96% for this category. Additionally, the school has an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 6.6, much lower than the nearby schools, which range from 11.5 to 15.4. However, Dayton School's academic performance on state tests is mixed, with proficiency rates in Math (38.46%) and Reading (42.31%) slightly higher than the district average but lower than the state average.

Interestingly, Dayton School's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 10th out of 287 elementary schools in 2014-2015 to 178th out of 332 in 2022-2023. This suggests a potential need to investigate the factors contributing to this decline. Additionally, the school has seen a significant shift in its racial makeup, with the percentage of White students decreasing from 90% in 2021-2022 to 72.09% in 2022-2023, while the percentage of students identifying as two or more races has increased from 8.33% to 25.58% during the same period. Compared to nearby schools, Dayton School's academic performance is generally on par with or slightly better than the Kila Elementary district, but lags behind the higher-performing Somers Elementary district and Bigfork Elementary school.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

506 B Street
Dayton, MT 59914

(406) 849-5484

District: Upper West Shore Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
178^th of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,534

Students who attend Dayton School usually attend:

High:

Polson High School

Student/teacher ratio: 8.1

Number of students: 49

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.4%

Two or more races:

22.4%

American Indian:

6.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.7%

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Compare Dayton School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Dayton School ranks worse than 53.6% of elementary schools in Montana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.02. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (71.4%), two or more races (22.4%), American Indian (6.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dayton School is 8.1. (See more...)

Compare Dayton School employs 6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dayton School is $16,534.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Upper West Shore Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Upper West Shore Elementary 159^th of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Dayton School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2015	97.23	10^th	287	96.5%
2021	31.45	277^th	356	22.2%
2022	59.78	150^th	329	54.4%
2023	52.02	178^th	332	46.4%

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

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Enrollment information for Dayton 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	26	26
1991	27	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	27
1992	19	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	19
1993	25	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	25
1994	20	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	20
1995	19	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	20
1996	19	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	20
1997	17	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	17
1998	11	0	0	0	6	n/a	n/a	0	17
1999	16	0	0	0	5	n/a	n/a	0	21
2000	14	0	0	0	7	n/a	n/a	0	21
2001	9	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	11
2002	13	0	0	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	16
2003	13	0	0	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	16
2004	6	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	8
2005	22	0	0	0	6	n/a	n/a	0	28
2006	21	0	0	0	8	n/a	n/a	0	29
2007	25	0	0	0	8	n/a	n/a	0	33
2008	34	0	0	0	5	n/a	n/a	0	39
2009	36	0	0	0	7	n/a	n/a	0	43
2010	27	0	0	0	4	n/a	n/a	0	31
2011	25	0	0	3	8	0	0	0	36
2012	29	0	0	2	7	0	0	0	38
2013	37	0	0	2	6	0	1	0	46
2014	36	1	0	1	7	0	1	0	46
2015	44	1	0	1	7	0	1	0	54
2016	49	1	0	0	8	0	0	0	58
2017	46	1	0	0	6	0	0	0	53
2018	48	1	0	0	8	0	1	0	58
2019	74	1	0	0	3	0	1	0	79
2020	67	1	0	1	2	0	2	0	73
2021	56	0	0	1	3	0	3	0	63
2022	54	0	0	1	0	0	5	0	60
2023	31	0	0	0	1	0	11	0	43
2024	35	0	0	0	3	0	11	0	49

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 Dayton School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	26	2.0	13.0	n/a
1991	27	2.0	13.5	0
1992	19	2.0	9.5	n/a
1993	25	2.0	12.5	0
1994	20	2.0	10.0	0
1995	20	2.0	10.0	0
1996	20	2.0	10.0	0
1997	17	2.0	8.5	0
1998	17	1.0	17.0	0
1999	21	1.0	21.0	n/a
2000	21	1.0	21.0	n/a
2001	11	1.0	11.0	0
2002	16	1.0	16.0	0
2003	16	1.0	16.0	0
2004	8	1.0	8.0	0
2005	28	1.0	28.0	n/a
2006	29	2.0	14.5	n/a
2007	33	2.5	13.2	n/a
2008	39	3.5	11.1	n/a
2009	43	4.6	9.3	n/a
2010	31	4.6	6.7	n/a
2011	36	3.6	10.0	n/a
2012	38	4.5	8.4	0
2013	46	3.8	12.1	0
2014	46	5.0	9.2	0
2015	54	5.0	10.8	0
2016	58	4.0	14.5	0
2017	53	5.5	9.6	66
2018	58	5.0	11.6	63.8
2019	79	6.5	12.1	36.7
2020	73	6.0	12.1	50.7
2021	63	5.5	11.4	n/a
2022	60	5.0	12.0	n/a
2023	43	6.5	6.6	n/a
2024	49	6.0	8.1	n/a

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 Dayton School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	26	2.0	13.0	n/a
1991	27	2.0	13.5	0
1992	19	2.0	9.5	n/a
1993	25	2.0	12.5	0
1994	20	2.0	10.0	0
1995	20	2.0	10.0	0
1996	20	2.0	10.0	0
1997	17	2.0	8.5	0
1998	17	1.0	17.0	0
1999	21	1.0	21.0	n/a
2000	21	1.0	21.0	n/a
2001	11	1.0	11.0	0
2002	16	1.0	16.0	0
2003	16	1.0	16.0	0
2004	8	1.0	8.0	0
2005	28	1.0	28.0	n/a
2006	29	2.0	14.5	n/a
2007	33	2.5	13.2	n/a
2008	39	3.5	11.1	n/a
2009	43	4.6	9.3	n/a
2010	31	4.6	6.7	n/a
2011	36	3.6	10.0	n/a
2012	38	4.5	8.4	0
2013	46	3.8	12.1	0
2014	46	5.0	9.2	0
2015	54	5.0	10.8	0
2016	58	4.0	14.5	0
2017	53	5.5	9.6	66
2018	58	5.0	11.6	63.8
2019	79	6.5	12.1	36.7
2020	73	6.0	12.1	50.7
2021	63	5.5	11.4	n/a
2022	60	5.0	12.0	n/a
2023	43	6.5	6.6	n/a
2024	49	6.0	8.1	n/a

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 Dayton School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2021	$10,755
2022	$12,375
2023	$16,534

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dayton 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	79	43	45.6%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	0
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	74	31	58.1%
Two or More Races	1	11	1000%

Schools Near Dayton 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
Dayton School	Public	PK, KG-6	506 B Street	Dayton	59914	Lake County	Upper West Shore Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 849-5484	49	6	8.1		35 (71.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (22.4%)	52	178^th of 332 public elementary schools	46.4%		59.8	150^th of 329 public elementary schools	54.4%	28	38.5	42.3		$16,534
Lakeside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	255 Adams Street	Lakeside	59922	Flathead County	Somers Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 844-2208	279	17	16.0	40.1%	258 (92.5%)	4 (1.4%)	8 (2.9%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.4%)	89	36^th of 332 public elementary schools	89.2%		89.6	33^rd of 329 public elementary schools	90.0%	3	59.1	63.6		$10,998
Linderman School	Public	2-4	312 4th Avenue East	Polson	59860	Lake County	Polson Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 883-6229	361	24	14.7	60.1%	203 (56.2%)	7 (1.9%)	8 (2.2%)	2 (0.6%)	136 (37.7%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.1%)	73.1	91^st of 332 public elementary schools	72.6%		76.9	82^nd of 329 public elementary schools	75.1%	9	45.4	55.4		$11,915
Cherry Valley School	Public	PK, KG-1	107 8th Avenue West	Polson	59860	Lake County	Polson Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 883-6333	268	19	13.8	56.7%	158 (59.0%)	3 (1.1%)	9 (3.4%)	3 (1.1%)	90 (33.6%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.5%)								(n/a)				$17,684
Valley View School	Public	PK, KG-6	42448 Valley View Road	Polson	59860	Lake County	Valley View Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 883-2208	33	3	11.0	45.5%	29 (87.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.0%)	29.3	256^th of 332 public elementary schools	22.9%		29	269^th of 329 public elementary schools	18.2%	13	31.6	26.3		$10,494
Bigfork Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	600 Commerce St	Bigfork	59911	Flathead County	Bigfork Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 837-7412	445	29	15.5	34.4%	414 (93.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.8%)	2 (0.4%)	10 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	71	98^th of 332 public elementary schools	70.5%		70.1	117^th of 329 public elementary schools	64.4%	19	41.1	55.7	47.3	$10,496
Kila School	Public	PK, KG-6	395 Kila Road	Kila	59920	Flathead County	Kila Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 257-2428	135	9	15.8	48.9%	124 (91.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.2%)	51.2	186^th of 332 public elementary schools	44.0%		52.8	185^th of 329 public elementary schools	43.8%	1	28.4	43.2	45.0	$9,813
Swan River School	Public	PK, KG-5	1205 Swan Highway	Bigfork	59911	Flathead County	Swan River Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 837-4528	111	8	13.3	33.3%	100 (90.1%)	1 (0.9%)	3 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.5%)	35.9	240^th of 332 public elementary schools	27.7%		40	240^th of 329 public elementary schools	27.1%		22.8	45.6	27.3	$10,496
Pablo Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	42080 4th Ave. E.	Pablo	59855	Lake County	Ronan Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 676-3390	236	17	13.5	100.0%	52 (22.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	125 (53.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (16.9%)	18.3	285^th of 332 public elementary schools	14.2%		21	282^nd of 329 public elementary schools	14.3%	3	17.7	29.4		$13,344

Frequently Asked Questions about Dayton School

How many students attend Dayton School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 49 students attended Dayton School.

What district is Dayton School in?

Upper West Shore Elementary

What schools do graduates of Dayton School attend?

Students who attend Dayton School usually go on to attend:

High : Polson High School

What is the racial makeup of Dayton School?

Students at Dayton School are 71% White, 22% Two or more races, 6% American Indian.

Is Dayton School a good school?

Dayton School ranks 178^th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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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.