Sheridan County Schools & Education
Sheridan County, Montana
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
56/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
83.5%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
83.5%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 83.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$11,738
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,334
School Score
56/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#20
of 56 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Sheridan County
Measured School Summary
Sheridan County has midrange measured school signals (score: 56/100) with a graduation rate of 83.5%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Sheridan County spends $11,738 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 2% above the Montana average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 26% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Sheridan 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
9 public schools and 3 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
56/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #20 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.
Completion
83.5%
0.2 pts below the state average
Funding context
$11,738
$2,404 above the state average
School coverage
9
3 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
Sheridan County has 9 public schools across 3 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 Sheridan 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
Sheridan 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
#20
of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 1 points above 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.
Plentywood K-12 Schools
Elementary to high school visible
371 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Medicine Lake K-12 Schools
Elementary to high school visible
84 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Westby K-12 Schools
Elementary to high school visible
50 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Medicine Lake 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 Sheridan County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Sheridan 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 Sheridan 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.
Plentywood Schools Serve the Majority
Plentywood K-12 is the county's largest district, educating 371 of the 505 total students. Medicine Lake and Westby K-12 schools serve the remaining student population in even more intimate settings. All nine schools are traditional public institutions, with no charter school presence in the county.
The Ultimate Small-School Experience
With an average school size of only 56 students, Sheridan County offers some of the most personalized instruction in the state. All nine schools are rural, and Plentywood School is the largest with 207 primary students. High school cohorts can be as small as 24 students, as seen in Medicine Lake.
School Overview
Total Schools
9
in Sheridan County
Reported Enrollment
505
9 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
3 School Districts in Sheridan County
Plentywood K-12 Schools
Medicine Lake K-12 Schools
Westby K-12 Schools
9 Public Schools in Sheridan 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 9 of 9 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plentywood School | Record | Plentywood K-12 Schools | Plentywood, 59254Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 207 |
| Plentywood High School | Record | Plentywood K-12 Schools | Plentywood, 59254Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 114 |
| Plentywood 7-8 | Record | Plentywood K-12 Schools | Plentywood, 59254Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 50 |
| Medicine Lake School | Record | Medicine Lake K-12 Schools | Medicine Lake, 59247Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 48 |
| Medicine Lake High School | Record | Medicine Lake K-12 Schools | Medicine Lake, 59247Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 24 |
| Westby High School | Record | Westby K-12 Schools | Westby, 59275Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 24 |
| Westby School | Record | Westby K-12 Schools | Westby, 59275Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 20 |
| Medicine Lake 7-8 | Record | Medicine Lake K-12 Schools | Medicine Lake, 59247Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 12 |
| Westby 7-8 | Record | Westby K-12 Schools | Westby, 59275Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 6 |
Plentywood School
Plentywood K-12 Schools
Plentywood, 59254 / Rural: Remote
Plentywood High School
Plentywood K-12 Schools
Plentywood, 59254 / Rural: Remote
Medicine Lake School
Medicine Lake K-12 Schools
Medicine Lake, 59247 / Rural: Remote
Medicine Lake High School
Medicine Lake K-12 Schools
Medicine Lake, 59247 / Rural: Remote
Medicine Lake 7-8
Medicine Lake K-12 Schools
Medicine Lake, 59247 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$11,738
State avg $9,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Sheridan 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 Sheridan County?
What is the graduation rate in Sheridan County?
How much does Sheridan County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Sheridan County, Montana — FAQ
What are the major school districts in Sheridan County, Montana?
Plentywood K-12 is the county's largest district, educating 371 of the 505 total students. Medicine Lake and Westby K-12 schools serve the remaining student population in even more intimate settings. All nine schools are traditional public institutions, with no charter school presence in the county.
What is the school experience like in Sheridan County?
With an average school size of only 56 students, Sheridan County offers some of the most personalized instruction in the state. All nine schools are rural, and Plentywood School is the largest with 207 primary students. High school cohorts can be as small as 24 students, as seen in Medicine Lake.
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.