Dawson County Schools & Education
Dawson County, Montana
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
39/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
77.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
77.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 83.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,409
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,334
School Score
39/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#47
of 56 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Dawson County
Measured School Summary
Dawson County faces educational challenges with a school score of 39/100 and a graduation rate of 77.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
Dawson County spends $8,409 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 29% below the Montana average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 6.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Dawson County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
10 public schools and 7 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
39/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #47 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.
Completion
77.0%
6.7 pts below the state average
Funding context
$8,409
$925 below the state average
School coverage
10
7 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Dawson County has 10 public schools across 7 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Dawson County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Review-carefully county
Dawson County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#47
of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 16 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Glendive Elem
Elementary and middle visible
782 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Dawson H S
High school only in this slice
343 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Richey Elem
Elementary and middle visible
52 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
Richey H S
High school only in this slice
29 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Glendive Elem is the largest listed district slice, with 3 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Dawson County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Dawson County district systems?
Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Dawson County, Montana
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Diverse Districts Serve Dawson Students
Dawson County hosts 10 public schools managed across seven different districts for its 1,240 students. The system includes six elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools to serve a wide geographic area. While the county offers traditional public education, it currently features no charter school options.
Glendive Elementary Leads Local Enrollment
Glendive Elementary is the largest district, serving 782 students across three schools. In contrast, the Bloomfield Elementary district operates a single school with only seven students, highlighting the vast difference in district sizes. Dawson High School remains the largest single campus with 343 students enrolled.
Blending Town Life and Rural Tradition
Education here is split between six rural schools and four town-based facilities, offering different environments for families. The average school size is 124 students, but actual enrollment varies from 343 at the high school to fewer than 10 at rural outposts. This mix ensures that families can choose between centralized town schools or highly individualized rural classrooms.
School Overview
Total Schools
10
in Dawson County
Reported Enrollment
1,240
10 schools reporting
School Districts
7
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
7 School Districts in Dawson County
Glendive Elem
Dawson H S
Richey Elem
Richey H S
Deer Creek Elem
Bloomfield Elem
Lindsay Elem
10 Public Schools in Dawson County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 10 of 10 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson High School | Record | Dawson H S | Glendive, 59330Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 343 |
| Jefferson School | Record | Glendive Elem | Glendive, 59330Town: Remote | PK–2 | Primary | 296 |
| Lincoln School | Record | Glendive Elem | Glendive, 59330Town: Remote | 3–5 | Primary | 243 |
| Washington Middle School | Record | Glendive Elem | Glendive, 59330Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 243 |
| Richey School | Record | Richey Elem | Richey, 59259Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 42 |
| Richey High School | Record | Richey H S | Richey, 59259Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 29 |
| Deer Creek School | Record | Deer Creek Elem | Glendive, 59330Rural: Fringe | PK–8 | Primary | 20 |
| Richey 7-8 | Record | Richey Elem | Richey, 59259Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 10 |
| Bloomfield School | Record | Bloomfield Elem | Glendive, 59330Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 7 |
| Lindsay School | Record | Lindsay Elem | Lindsay, 59339Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 7 |
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,409
State avg $9,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Dawson County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Montana counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Montana?
How should I read the school score in Dawson County?
What is the graduation rate in Dawson County?
How much does Dawson County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Dawson County, Montana — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Dawson County, Montana?
Dawson County hosts 10 public schools managed across seven different districts for its 1,240 students. The system includes six elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools to serve a wide geographic area. While the county offers traditional public education, it currently features no charter school options.
What are the major school districts in Dawson County, Montana?
Glendive Elementary is the largest district, serving 782 students across three schools. In contrast, the Bloomfield Elementary district operates a single school with only seven students, highlighting the vast difference in district sizes. Dawson High School remains the largest single campus with 343 students enrolled.
What is the school experience like in Dawson County?
Education here is split between six rural schools and four town-based facilities, offering different environments for families. The average school size is 124 students, but actual enrollment varies from 343 at the high school to fewer than 10 at rural outposts. This mix ensures that families can choose between centralized town schools or highly individualized rural classrooms.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.