Shepherd Middle School

Q: Is Shepherd Middle School a good school?

Shepherd Middle School ranks 108 th of 187 Montana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Shepherd Middle School is a public middle school in Shepherd, MT, serving 196 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Shepherd Elementary District, which is ranked 138 out of 300 districts in Montana and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Shepherd Middle School has a significantly higher percentage of White students (87.76%) compared to nearby schools, which have more diverse student populations. The school has consistently ranked in the middle to lower range of Montana middle schools, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger in the most recent year, lower than higher-ranked nearby schools like Elysian Middle School and Ben Steele Middle School. Shepherd Middle School's proficiency rates in Mathematics, Reading, and Science are generally lower than the state averages and the nearby schools, particularly in Mathematics and Science.

Shepherd Middle School's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from a high of 43 out of 156 middle schools in 2014-2015 to a low of 108 out of 187 middle schools in the most recent year. The school's test scores have fluctuated, with no clear trend of improvement, suggesting challenges in maintaining consistent academic performance. Compared to nearby schools, Shepherd Middle School generally underperforms in terms of school ranking, test scores, and student demographics, indicating room for improvement to match the performance of its higher-achieving counterparts.

Detail:

Public 6-8

7842 Shepherd Road
Shepherd, MT 59079

(406) 373-5873

District: Shepherd Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
108^th of 187 Montana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,816

Students who attend Shepherd Middle School usually attend:

High:

Shepherd High School

Feeder schools for Shepherd Middle School:

Elementary:

Shepherd Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 200

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.0%

American Indian:

5.5%

Hispanic:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 38.5%

See top rated Montana middle schools

Compare Shepherd Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Shepherd Middle School ranks worse than 57.8% of middle schools in Montana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.43. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (89%), American Indian (5.5%), Hispanic (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 38.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Shepherd Middle School is 14.6. (See more...)

Compare Shepherd Middle School employs 13.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Shepherd Middle School is $10,816.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Shepherd Middle School 108^th of 187 Montana public middle schools. (See Shepherd Middle School in the ranking list.)

Shepherd Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Shepherd Elementary 138^th of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Shepherd Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	69.63	45^th	171	73.7%
2005	58.14	74^th	164	54.9%
2006	54.76	74^th	146	49.3%
2007	56.15	68^th	147	53.7%
2008	59.77	58^th	149	61.1%
2009	60.54	58^th	147	60.5%
2010	61.89	61^st	156	60.9%
2011	65.69	49^th	161	69.6%
2012	59.83	71^st	156	54.5%
2013	41.96	122^nd	159	23.3%
2015	59.55	42^nd	156	73.1%
2016	40.97	53^rd	81	34.6%
2017	39.31	42^nd	55	23.6%
2018	31.74	46^th	58	20.7%
2019	37.49	43^rd	60	28.3%
2021	47.93	107^th	200	46.5%
2022	32.84	136^th	190	28.4%
2023	44.43	108^th	187	42.2%

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 Shepherd Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1991	119	0	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	122
1992	130	0	1	2	2	n/a	n/a	135
1993	101	1	2	6	40	n/a	n/a	150
1994	146	1	2	8	15	n/a	n/a	172
1995	155	1	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	159
1996	155	1	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	159
1997	145	0	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	147
1998	151	0	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	154
1999	151	0	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	153
2000	134	0	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	136
2001	117	0	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	120
2002	169	0	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	171
2003	169	0	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	171
2004	148	1	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	151
2005	138	0	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	142
2006	133	2	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	140
2007	152	0	3	1	5	n/a	n/a	161
2008	145	0	1	1	8	n/a	n/a	155
2009	130	2	1	1	7	n/a	n/a	141
2010	126	1	1	4	4	n/a	n/a	136
2011	124	3	0	2	5	0	0	134
2012	115	4	0	2	5	0	0	126
2013	124	4	1	7	6	0	0	142
2014	127	0	0	4	4	1	0	136
2015	114	1	1	4	5	1	0	126
2016	125	2	2	5	6	1	0	141
2017	176	1	2	7	11	0	0	197
2018	183	5	1	7	17	0	0	213
2019	172	5	2	10	11	0	0	200
2020	182	6	1	6	10	0	0	205
2021	163	4	2	5	9	1	0	184
2022	154	3	2	6	11	1	1	178
2023	172	3	3	4	12	1	1	196
2024	178	3	2	5	11	1	0	200

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 Shepherd Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	122	7.4	16.4	6.6
1992	135	7.4	18.2	23.7
1993	150	10.1	14.9	19.3
1994	172	9.6	17.9	17.4
1995	159	10.7	14.9	18.9
1996	159	10.7	14.9	18.9
1997	147	10.2	14.4	13.6
1998	154	9.4	16.4	14.3
1999	153	10.7	14.3	32.7
2000	136	12.0	11.3	21.3
2001	120	11.1	10.8	25.8
2002	171	11.7	14.6	34.5
2003	171	11.7	14.6	34.5
2004	151	11.8	12.8	29.1
2005	142	11.6	12.2	27.5
2006	140	11.3	12.4	27.1
2007	161	12.0	13.4	27.3
2008	155	11.5	13.5	27.7
2009	141	11.0	12.8	29.8
2010	136	10.7	12.7	27.2
2011	134	10.8	12.3	29.1
2012	126	9.8	12.8	36.5
2013	142	10.9	13.0	49.3
2014	136	11.4	11.8	39
2015	126	14.0	9.0	38.9
2016	141	10.0	14.1	36.2
2017	197	11.7	16.8	33
2018	213	15.6	13.6	34.3
2019	200	15.9	12.5	31.5
2020	205	15.7	13.0	98.5
2021	184	15.0	12.2	n/a
2022	178	13.4	13.2	n/a
2023	196	12.9	15.1	n/a
2024	200	13.6	14.6	38.5

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 Shepherd Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	122	7.4	16.4	6.6
1992	135	7.4	18.2	23.7
1993	150	10.1	14.9	19.3
1994	172	9.6	17.9	17.4
1995	159	10.7	14.9	18.9
1996	159	10.7	14.9	18.9
1997	147	10.2	14.4	13.6
1998	154	9.4	16.4	14.3
1999	153	10.7	14.3	32.7
2000	136	12.0	11.3	21.3
2001	120	11.1	10.8	25.8
2002	171	11.7	14.6	34.5
2003	171	11.7	14.6	34.5
2004	151	11.8	12.8	29.1
2005	142	11.6	12.2	27.5
2006	140	11.3	12.4	27.1
2007	161	12.0	13.4	27.3
2008	155	11.5	13.5	27.7
2009	141	11.0	12.8	29.8
2010	136	10.7	12.7	27.2
2011	134	10.8	12.3	29.1
2012	126	9.8	12.8	36.5
2013	142	10.9	13.0	49.3
2014	136	11.4	11.8	39
2015	126	14.0	9.0	38.9
2016	141	10.0	14.1	36.2
2017	197	11.7	16.8	33
2018	213	15.6	13.6	34.3
2019	200	15.9	12.5	31.5
2020	205	15.7	13.0	98.5
2021	184	15.0	12.2	n/a
2022	178	13.4	13.2	n/a
2023	196	12.9	15.1	n/a
2024	200	13.6	14.6	38.5

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 Shepherd Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$8,340
2021	$12,935
2022	$12,351
2023	$10,816

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Shepherd 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 43^rd of 60 Middle schools	Ranks 108^th of 187 Middle schools	13.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	200	196	2%
African American	5	3	40%
American Indian	11	12	9.1%
Asian	2	3	50%
Hispanic	10	4	60%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	172	172
Two or More Races	0	1

Schools Near Shepherd 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
Shepherd Middle School	Public	6-8	7842 Shepherd Road	Shepherd	59079	Yellowstone County	Shepherd Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 373-5873	200	14	14.6	38.5%	178 (89.0%)	3 (1.5%)	5 (2.5%)	2 (1.0%)	11 (5.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	44.4	108^th of 187 public middle schools	42.2%		32.8	136^th of 190 public middle schools	28.4%	28	28.8	47.9	31.2	$10,816
Huntley Project 7-8	Public	7-8	1477 Ash Street	Worden	59088	Yellowstone County	Huntley Project K-12 Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 967-2540	128	7	17.2	46.1%	112 (87.5%)	1 (0.8%)	6 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.3%)	23	148^th of 187 public middle schools	20.9%		27.8	145^th of 190 public middle schools	23.7%	3	25.2	31.9	18.9	$15,577
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
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)
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
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
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
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Shepherd Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Shepherd Middle School?

Students at Shepherd Middle School are 89% White, 6% American Indian, 3% Hispanic, 2% African American.

How many students attend Shepherd Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 200 students attended Shepherd Middle School.

What district is Shepherd Middle School in?

Shepherd Elementary

What high school do graduates of Shepherd Middle School attend?

Students who attend Shepherd Middle School usually go on to attend Shepherd High School

Is Shepherd Middle School a good school?

Shepherd Middle School ranks 108^th of 187 Montana middle 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.