schoolsbycounty

Powder River County Schools & Education

School Score

47/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

75.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

75.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 83.7%

Per-Pupil Spending

$10,631

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,334

School Score

47/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#31

of 56 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Powder River County

Measured School Summary

Powder River County has midrange measured school signals (score: 47/100) with a graduation rate of 75.0%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

Powder River County spends $10,631 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 14% below the Montana average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 8.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 14% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Powder River 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

5 public schools and 4 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

47/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #31 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.

Completion

75.0%

8.7 pts below the state average

Funding context

$10,631

$1,297 above the state average

School coverage

5

4 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

Powder River County has 5 public schools across 4 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 Powder River 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

Powder River 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

#31

of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 8 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.

Broadus Elem

Elementary and middle visible

150 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 0Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Powder River Co Dist H S

High school only in this slice

74 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 1Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

Biddle Elem

Elementary school only in this slice

8 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

South Stacey Elem

Elementary school only in this slice

5 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Broadus Elem is the largest listed district slice, with 2 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 Powder River County?

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

Focused Education in Powder River

Powder River County operates 5 public schools serving a total of 237 students across 4 districts. The system includes 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school. This concentrated infrastructure reflects the county's low population density and rural character.

Broadus Schools Anchor the County

Broadus Elementary is the largest district, serving 150 students across its two schools. The Powder River County District High School provides secondary education for most students in the region. There are no charter schools in the county, with all students attending traditional public institutions.

True Rural Schooling at Every Level

Every school in the county is located in a rural setting, with an average size of only 47 students. Broadus School is the largest at 112 students, while South Stacey Elementary operates with just 5 pupils. Such extreme smallness allows for unparalleled individual attention and community involvement.

School Overview

Total Schools

5

in Powder River County

Reported Enrollment

237

5 schools reporting

School Districts

4

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary3
Middle1
High1
Other0

4 School Districts in Powder River County

Broadus Elem

2 schools
150 students

Powder River Co Dist H S

1 school
74 students

Biddle Elem

1 school
8 students

South Stacey Elem

1 school
5 students

5 Public Schools in Powder River 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 5 of 5 matching schools

Broadus School

Broadus Elem

Broadus, 59317 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary112 students

Powder River Co Dist High

Powder River Co Dist H S

Broadus, 59317 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High74 students

Broadus 7-8

Broadus Elem

Broadus, 59317 / Rural: Remote

Record7–8Middle38 students

Biddle School

Biddle Elem

Biddle, 59314 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary8 students

South Stacey School

South Stacey Elem

Volborg, 59351 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary5 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$10,631

State avg $9,334

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Powder River 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.

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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 Powder River County?
Powder River County has a school score of 47/100, 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 Powder River County?
The high school graduation rate in Powder River County is 75.0%, 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 Powder River County spend per student?
Powder River County spends $10,631 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 Powder River County, Montana — FAQ

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

Powder River County operates 5 public schools serving a total of 237 students across 4 districts. The system includes 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school. This concentrated infrastructure reflects the county's low population density and rural character.

What are the major school districts in Powder River County, Montana?

Broadus Elementary is the largest district, serving 150 students across its two schools. The Powder River County District High School provides secondary education for most students in the region. There are no charter schools in the county, with all students attending traditional public institutions.

What is the school experience like in Powder River County?

Every school in the county is located in a rural setting, with an average size of only 47 students. Broadus School is the largest at 112 students, while South Stacey Elementary operates with just 5 pupils. Such extreme smallness allows for unparalleled individual attention and community involvement.

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.