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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 2025-26 school year, there are 3 public elementary schools serving 1,585 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.
ºÚÁÏÍø¹ÙÍø 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 46% 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
519 Schools
# Students
1,585 Students
96,346 Students
# Teachers
108 Teachers
6,988 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 334 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%)
34%
37%
47%
46%
41%
37%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.26
0.40
% American Indian
1%
11%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
6%
6%
% Black
n/a
1%
% White
86%
76%
% 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.
This School District
This State (MT)
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 ºÚÁÏÍø¹ÙÍø Elementary Schools (2025-26)

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 | 543 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
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 | 546 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 16%
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 | 496 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 16%

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Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 3 schools
  • Grades: PK-08
  • Enrollment: 1,585 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • 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

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