schoolsbycounty

Prairie County Schools & Education

School Score

85/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

N/A

National avg 87.5%

Per-Pupil Spending

$9,783

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,334

School Score

85/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#7

of 56 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Prairie County

Measured School Summary

Prairie County has a strong school score of 85/100. Graduation rate data is not available.

Funding Context

Prairie County spends $9,783 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 54% above the Montana average, while per-pupil spending is 5% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Prairie 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

3 public schools and 1 district 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

85/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #7 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.

Completion

Not reported

Graduation-rate comparison is unavailable for this county.

Funding context

$9,783

$449 above the state average

School coverage

3

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Prairie County has 3 public schools across 1 district, 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 Prairie 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.

Small-system county

Prairie County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#7

of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 30 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

2 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.

Terry K-12 Schools

Elementary to high school visible

145 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Terry K-12 Schools 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 Prairie County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

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 Prairie 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.

Compact Schooling in Prairie County

Prairie County operates a single district, Terry K-12 Schools, which serves all 145 students in the county. The system consists of 3 schools, providing one campus for each level of education (elementary, middle, and high). This unified approach simplifies local administration and community focus.

The Terry K-12 Unified District

The Terry K-12 district is the sole provider of public education in Prairie County, enrolling 145 students. All educational resources and community events are centered within this single district. Charter schools are not available, ensuring a fully integrated public school experience.

A Truly Rural Learning Experience

All three schools in the county are classified as rural, with an average size of 48 students. Terry School is the largest with 80 students, while the middle and high schools each serve roughly 32 pupils. This scale fosters an environment where every student receives significant individual attention.

School Overview

Total Schools

3

in Prairie County

Reported Enrollment

145

3 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary1
Middle1
High1
Other0

1 School District in Prairie County

Terry K-12 Schools

3 schools
145 students enrolled

3 Public Schools in Prairie 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 3 of 3 matching schools

Terry School

Terry K-12 Schools

Terry, 59349 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary80 students

Terry High School

Terry K-12 Schools

Terry, 59349 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High33 students

Terry Middle School

Terry K-12 Schools

Terry, 59349 / Rural: Remote

Record7–8Middle32 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$9,783

State avg $9,334

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Prairie 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 Prairie County?
Prairie County has a school score of 85/100, which is a higher 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.
How much does Prairie County spend per student?
Prairie County spends $9,783 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 Prairie County, Montana — FAQ

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

Prairie County operates a single district, Terry K-12 Schools, which serves all 145 students in the county. The system consists of 3 schools, providing one campus for each level of education (elementary, middle, and high). This unified approach simplifies local administration and community focus.

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

The Terry K-12 district is the sole provider of public education in Prairie County, enrolling 145 students. All educational resources and community events are centered within this single district. Charter schools are not available, ensuring a fully integrated public school experience.

What is the school experience like in Prairie County?

All three schools in the county are classified as rural, with an average size of 48 students. Terry School is the largest with 80 students, while the middle and high schools each serve roughly 32 pupils. This scale fosters an environment where every student receives significant individual attention.

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.