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 2025 school year, there are 2 public preschools serving 1,042 students in Columbia Falls Elementary School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in Montana.
Public Preschools in Columbia Falls Elementary School District have an average math proficiency score of 33% (versus the Montana public pre school average of 41%), and reading proficiency score of 40% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 16% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Montana public preschool average of 23% (majority American Indian).
Overview
This School District
This State (MT)
# Schools
3 Schools
395 Schools
# Students
1,585 Students
65,251 Students
# Teachers
108 Teachers
4,856 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Columbia Falls Elementary School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 347 school districts in Montana (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
Overall District Rank
#194 out of 350 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
31%
35%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
47%
46%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
37%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.26
0.40
% American Indian
1%
10%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
6%
6%
% Black
n/a
1%
% White
86%
77%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $13,321 in this school district is less than the state median of $15,263. The school district revenue/student has declined by 9% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $20,004 is higher than the state median of $15,352. The school district spending/student has declined by 9% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$21 MM
$2,285 MM
Spending
$32 MM
$2,298 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,321
$15,263
Spending / Student
$20,004
$15,352
Best Columbia Falls Elementary School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Ruder Elementary School
(Math: 42% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1500 12th Avenue West
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
(406) 892-6570
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
(406) 892-6570
Grades: PK-5
| 546 students
Rank: #22.
Glacier Gateway Elementary School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
440 4th Avenue West
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
(406) 892-6540
Columbia Falls, MT 59912
(406) 892-6540
Grades: PK-5
| 496 students
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