Pondera County Schools & Education
Pondera County, Montana
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
44/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
79.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
79.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 83.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$9,097
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,334
School Score
44/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#39
of 56 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Pondera County
Measured School Summary
Pondera County has midrange measured school signals (score: 44/100) with a graduation rate of 79.4%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Pondera County spends $9,097 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 19% below the Montana average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 3% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Pondera 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 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
44/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #39 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.
Completion
79.4%
4.3 pts below the state average
Funding context
$9,097
$237 below the state average
School coverage
15
7 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
Pondera County has 15 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 Pondera 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
Pondera 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
#39
of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 11 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.
Conrad Elem
Elementary and middle visible
342 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Heart Butte K-12 Schools
Elementary to high school visible
208 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Conrad H S
High school only in this slice
153 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Valier Elem
Elementary and middle visible
122 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Conrad 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 Pondera County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Pondera County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
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 Pondera 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.
Extensive Infrastructure for Pondera Students
Pondera County supports 968 students through 15 public schools and 7 school districts. The landscape is dominated by 8 elementary schools, along with 4 middle and 3 high schools. This network serves a mix of agricultural towns and more remote rural areas.
Conrad and Heart Butte Districts
Conrad Elementary is the largest district with 342 students, followed closely by Heart Butte K-12 Schools with 208 students. These districts manage several small campuses to serve their diverse populations. Charter schools are not part of the county's educational landscape.
A Blend of Town and Country Schools
Pondera County features a mix of 11 rural schools and 4 town-based campuses, providing different living environments for families. Meadowlark School is the largest campus with 154 students, while the average school size remains small at 65. This scale ensures that even in town-based schools, the atmosphere remains personal.
School Overview
Total Schools
15
in Pondera County
Reported Enrollment
968
15 schools reporting
School Districts
7
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
7 School Districts in Pondera County
Conrad Elem
Heart Butte K-12 Schools
Conrad H S
Valier Elem
Valier H S
Miami Elem
Dupuyer Elem
15 Public Schools in Pondera 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 15 of 15 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadowlark School | Record | Conrad Elem | Conrad, 59425Town: Remote | PK–3 | Primary | 154 |
| Conrad High School | Record | Conrad H S | Conrad, 59425Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 153 |
| Utterback 4-6 | Record | Conrad Elem | Conrad, 59425Town: Remote | 4–6 | Middle | 119 |
| Heart Butte Elementary | Record | Heart Butte K-12 Schools | Heart Butte, 59448Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 95 |
| Valier School | Record | Valier Elem | Valier, 59486Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 78 |
| Heart Butte High School | Record | Heart Butte K-12 Schools | Heart Butte, 59448Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 74 |
| Utterback 7-8 | Record | Conrad Elem | Conrad, 59425Town: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 69 |
| Valier High School | Record | Valier H S | Valier, 59486Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 46 |
| Heart Butte 6-8 | Record | Heart Butte K-12 Schools | Heart Butte, 59448Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 39 |
| Miami School | Record | Miami Elem | Conrad, 59425Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 34 |
| Pondera Colony School | Record | Dutton/Brady K-12 Schools | Dutton, 59433Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 27 |
| Valier 7-8 | Record | Valier Elem | Valier, 59486Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 24 |
| Dupuyer School | Record | Dupuyer Elem | Dupuyer, 59432Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 21 |
| Kingsbury Colony Attn Ctr | Record | Valier Elem | Valier, 59486Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 20 |
| Midway Colony | Record | Dutton/Brady K-12 Schools | Dutton, 59433Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 15 |
Heart Butte Elementary
Heart Butte K-12 Schools
Heart Butte, 59448 / Rural: Remote
Heart Butte High School
Heart Butte K-12 Schools
Heart Butte, 59448 / Rural: Remote
Pondera Colony School
Dutton/Brady K-12 Schools
Dutton, 59433 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$9,097
State avg $9,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Pondera 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 Pondera County?
What is the graduation rate in Pondera County?
How much does Pondera County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Pondera County, Montana — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Pondera County, Montana?
Pondera County supports 968 students through 15 public schools and 7 school districts. The landscape is dominated by 8 elementary schools, along with 4 middle and 3 high schools. This network serves a mix of agricultural towns and more remote rural areas.
What are the major school districts in Pondera County, Montana?
Conrad Elementary is the largest district with 342 students, followed closely by Heart Butte K-12 Schools with 208 students. These districts manage several small campuses to serve their diverse populations. Charter schools are not part of the county's educational landscape.
What is the school experience like in Pondera County?
Pondera County features a mix of 11 rural schools and 4 town-based campuses, providing different living environments for families. Meadowlark School is the largest campus with 154 students, while the average school size remains small at 65. This scale ensures that even in town-based schools, the atmosphere remains personal.
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.