schoolsbycounty

Park County Schools & Education

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

86.1%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

86.1%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 83.7%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,671

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,334

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#26

of 56 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Park County

Measured School Summary

Park County performs at an average level with a school score of 52/100 and a solid graduation rate of 86.1%.

Funding Context

Park County spends $8,671 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 6% below the Montana average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 7% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Park 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

15 public schools and 9 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

52/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #26 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.

Completion

86.1%

2.4 pts above the state average

Funding context

$8,671

$663 below the state average

School coverage

15

9 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Park County has 15 public schools across 9 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.

Parent decision brief

What Park 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.

Mixed school landscape

Park County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#26

of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 3 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.

Livingston Elem

Elementary and middle visible

837 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 0Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Park H S

High school only in this slice

418 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 1Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

Shields Valley Elem

Elementary and middle visible

139 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 0Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Gardiner Elem

Elementary and middle visible

91 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 0Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Livingston 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 Park County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Park 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 Park 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.

Expansive Education in the Heart of the Rockies

Park County manages a robust network of 15 public schools serving 1,699 students across 9 districts. The system includes 7 elementary, 5 middle, and 3 high schools. This infrastructure provides comprehensive coverage for both the town center and surrounding mountain communities.

Livingston and Shields Valley Hubs

Livingston Elementary is the largest district, enrolling 837 students across three separate schools. Shields Valley Elementary serves another 139 students in a more rural setting. The county’s educational landscape is entirely comprised of traditional public schools, with no charter options currently available.

Mixing Town Hubs and Rural Outposts

The county features a diverse locale mix with 11 rural schools and 4 town-based campuses. Park High School is the largest facility with 418 students, while several remote schools keep average enrollment at 113. This variety allows families to choose between a central town experience or a secluded rural education.

School Overview

Total Schools

15

in Park County

Reported Enrollment

1,699

15 schools reporting

School Districts

9

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary7
Middle5
High3
Other0

9 School Districts in Park County

Livingston Elem

3 schools
837 students

Park H S

1 school
418 students

Shields Valley Elem

2 schools
139 students

Gardiner Elem

2 schools
91 students

Arrowhead Elem

2 schools
66 students

Gardiner H S

1 school
56 students

Shields Valley H S

1 school
50 students

Pine Creek Elem

2 schools
35 students

Cooke City Elem

1 school
7 students

15 Public Schools in Park 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 data

Level

Showing 15 of 15 matching schools

Park High School

Park H S

Livingston, 59047 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High418 students

Sleeping Giant Middle Sch

Livingston Elem

Livingston, 59047 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle310 students

B A Winans School

Livingston Elem

Livingston, 59047 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–2Primary280 students

East Side School

Livingston Elem

Livingston, 59047 / Town: Remote

Record3–5Primary247 students

Shields Valley Elementary

Shields Valley Elem

Clyde Park, 59018 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary103 students

Arrowhead School

Arrowhead Elem

Pray, 59065 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary65 students

Gardiner School

Gardiner Elem

Gardiner, 59030 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary64 students

Gardiner High School

Gardiner H S

Gardiner, 59030 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High56 students

Shields Valley High Schl

Shields Valley H S

Clyde Park, 59018 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High50 students

Shields Valley 7-8

Shields Valley Elem

Clyde Park, 59018 / Rural: Remote

Record7–8Middle36 students

Gardiner 7-8

Gardiner Elem

Gardiner, 59030 / Rural: Remote

Record7–8Middle27 students

Pine Creek School

Pine Creek Elem

Livingston, 59047 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary25 students

Pine Creek 6-8

Pine Creek Elem

Livingston, 59047 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle10 students

Cooke City School

Cooke City Elem

Cooke City, 59020 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary7 students

Arrowhead 7-8

Arrowhead Elem

Pray, 59065 / Rural: Remote

Record7–8Middle1 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,671

State avg $9,334

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Park County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Montana counties have the highest graduation rates?
Fallon County (95.0%), Phillips County (95.0%), and Powell County (95.0%) currently lead Montana among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Montana?
Across Montana counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,334. The highest current county values are Treasure County ($14,412), Petroleum County ($13,419), and Golden Valley County ($13,208). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Park County?
Park County has a school score of 52/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Park County?
The high school graduation rate in Park County is 86.1%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Park County spend per student?
Park County spends $8,671 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Park County, Montana — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Park County, Montana?

Park County manages a robust network of 15 public schools serving 1,699 students across 9 districts. The system includes 7 elementary, 5 middle, and 3 high schools. This infrastructure provides comprehensive coverage for both the town center and surrounding mountain communities.

What are the major school districts in Park County, Montana?

Livingston Elementary is the largest district, enrolling 837 students across three separate schools. Shields Valley Elementary serves another 139 students in a more rural setting. The county’s educational landscape is entirely comprised of traditional public schools, with no charter options currently available.

What is the school experience like in Park County?

The county features a diverse locale mix with 11 rural schools and 4 town-based campuses. Park High School is the largest facility with 418 students, while several remote schools keep average enrollment at 113. This variety allows families to choose between a central town experience or a secluded rural education.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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.