Silver Bow County Schools & Education
Silver Bow County, Montana
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
34/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
86.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
86.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 83.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,024
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,334
School Score
34/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#52
of 56 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Silver Bow County
Measured School Summary
Silver Bow County faces educational challenges with a school score of 34/100 and a graduation rate of 86.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $7,024 per pupil, Silver Bow County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 39% below the Montana average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 25% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Silver Bow 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
12 public schools and 5 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
34/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #52 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.
Completion
86.0%
2.3 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,024
$2,310 below the state average
School coverage
12
5 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Silver Bow County has 12 public schools across 5 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 Silver Bow 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.
Review-carefully county
Silver Bow County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#52
of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 21 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.
Butte Elem
Elementary and middle visible
2,966 students
7 listed schools in this county slice.
Butte H S
High school only in this slice
1,317 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Ramsay Elem
Elementary and middle visible
166 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
Melrose Elem
Elementary school only in this slice
6 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Butte Elem is the largest listed district slice, with 7 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 Silver Bow County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Silver Bow 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 Silver Bow 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.
Butte's Centrally Managed School System
Silver Bow County educates 4,460 students across 12 public schools. The system is heavily focused on early education, with nine elementary schools, two middle schools, and one large high school. Five districts manage these facilities, with the Butte schools serving the vast majority of the population.
The Power of Butte Elementary and High School
Butte Elementary is the largest district, serving 2,966 students across seven schools. Butte High School acts as the county's central secondary institution with a massive enrollment of 1,317. There are no charter schools in the county, maintaining a strong focus on the traditional public school system.
A Mix of Town Hubs and Rural Outposts
The average school size of 372 students is the highest among the counties surveyed, driven by the large campuses in Butte. Seven schools are located in town settings, while five serve the surrounding rural areas. This mix offers families a choice between larger, resource-rich town schools and smaller rural elementary campuses.
School Overview
Total Schools
12
in Silver Bow County
Reported Enrollment
4,460
12 schools reporting
School Districts
5
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
5 School Districts in Silver Bow County
Butte Elem
Butte H S
Ramsay Elem
Melrose Elem
Divide Elem
12 Public Schools in Silver Bow County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 12 of 12 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butte High School | Profile | Butte H S | Butte, 59701Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 1,317 |
| East Middle School | Record | Butte Elem | Butte, 59701Town: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 660 |
| West Elementary School | Record | Butte Elem | Butte, 59701Town: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 473 |
| Whittier School | Record | Butte Elem | Butte, 59701Town: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 425 |
| Hillcrest School | Record | Butte Elem | Butte, 59701Town: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 423 |
| Emerson School | Record | Butte Elem | Butte, 59701Town: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 392 |
| Margaret Leary School | Record | Butte Elem | Butte, 59701Rural: Fringe | PK–6 | Primary | 347 |
| Kennedy School | Record | Butte Elem | Butte, 59701Town: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 246 |
| Ramsay School | Record | Ramsay Elem | Ramsay, 59748Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 123 |
| Ramsay Middle School | Record | Ramsay Elem | Ramsay, 59748Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 43 |
| Melrose School | Record | Melrose Elem | Melrose, 59743Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 6 |
| Divide School | Record | Divide Elem | Divide, 59727Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 5 |
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,024
State avg $9,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Silver Bow 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 Silver Bow County?
What is the graduation rate in Silver Bow County?
How much does Silver Bow County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Silver Bow County, Montana — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Silver Bow County, Montana?
Silver Bow County educates 4,460 students across 12 public schools. The system is heavily focused on early education, with nine elementary schools, two middle schools, and one large high school. Five districts manage these facilities, with the Butte schools serving the vast majority of the population.
What are the major school districts in Silver Bow County, Montana?
Butte Elementary is the largest district, serving 2,966 students across seven schools. Butte High School acts as the county's central secondary institution with a massive enrollment of 1,317. There are no charter schools in the county, maintaining a strong focus on the traditional public school system.
What is the school experience like in Silver Bow County?
The average school size of 372 students is the highest among the counties surveyed, driven by the large campuses in Butte. Seven schools are located in town settings, while five serve the surrounding rural areas. This mix offers families a choice between larger, resource-rich town schools and smaller rural elementary campuses.
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.