Columbia Falls Elementary School District

501 6th Ave West
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
(District boundaries shown in map)
: 
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Columbia Falls Elementary School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Montana for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 3 public elementary schools serving 1,505 students in Columbia Falls Elementary School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Montana.
Public Elementary Schools in Columbia Falls Elementary School District have an average math proficiency score of 34% (versus the Montana public elementary school average of 38%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 14% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Montana public elementary school average of 24% (majority American Indian).

Overview

This School District
This State (MT)
# Schools
3 Schools
525 Schools
# Students
1,505 Students
95,177 Students
# Teachers
104 Teachers
6,845 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Columbia Falls Elementary School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 332 school districts in Montana (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
This School District
State Average (MT)
#112 out of 350 school districts
(Top 50%)

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

34%
37%

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

47%
46%

Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

41%
37%
(2022-23)
34%
35.9%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.26
0.41

Showing 2014–2023. Full 33-year historical data available below ↓

% American Indian
1%
10%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 33-year historical data available below ↓

% Asian
n/a
1%

Showing 2002–2013. Full 23-year historical data available below ↓

% Hispanic
6%
7%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 33-year historical data available below ↓

% Black
n/a
1%

Showing 2002–2011. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

% White
86%
76%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 33-year historical data available below ↓

% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
5%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,124 in this school district is less than the state median of $16,573. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $20,967 is higher than the state median of $16,214. The school district spending/student has declined by 16% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MT)
Total Revenue
$23 MM
$2,442 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending
$32 MM
$2,389 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Revenue / Student
$15,124
$16,573

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending / Student
$20,967
$16,214

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Best Columbia Falls Elementary School District Public Elementary Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Columbia Falls Jr High School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1805 Talbot Road
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
(406) 892-6530
Gr: 6-8 | 547 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #22.
Ruder Elementary School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1500 12th Avenue West
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
(406) 892-6570
Gr: PK-5 | 487 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 15%
Rank: #33.
Glacier Gateway Elementary School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
440 4th Avenue West
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
(406) 892-6540
Gr: PK-5 | 471 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 14%

Recent Articles

How Much Choice Do High School Students Have?
How Much Choice Do High School Students Have?
Learn how graduation requirements, prerequisites, electives, staffing, scheduling conflicts, AP courses, dual enrollment, and career pathways determine how much control high school students have over schedules each year.
Does Your Child Need More Recess?
Does Your Child Need More Recess?
Explore whether your child may benefit more from recess than another academic period, including research on attention, learning, physical activity, stress, social development, and school-day balance today.
Combined Grade Classrooms, What Parents Should Know
Combined Grade Classrooms, What Parents Should Know
Learn how combined-grade classrooms work, why public schools use them, potential benefits and challenges, and the questions parents should ask before enrolling their child in one today.

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • District size: 3 schools
  • Grades: PK-08
  • Enrollment: 1,505 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 14%
  • : Top 50% in MT
  • : 34% (Top 50%)
  • : 47% (Top 50%)
  • : 41% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MT Dept. of Education

Quick Links