Wheatland County Schools & Education
Wheatland County, Montana
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool 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
$10,568
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,334
School Score
47/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#32
of 56 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Wheatland County
Measured School Summary
Wheatland 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
Wheatland County spends $10,568 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 13% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Wheatland 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
6 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
47/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #32 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.
Completion
75.0%
8.7 pts below the state average
Funding context
$10,568
$1,234 above the state average
School coverage
6
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
Wheatland County has 6 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 Wheatland 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
Wheatland 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
#32
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.
Harlowton K-12
Elementary to high school visible
258 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Judith Gap Elem
Elementary and middle visible
20 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
Judith Gap H S
High school only in this slice
3 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Harlowton K-12 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 Wheatland County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Wheatland 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 Wheatland 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.
A Concentrated Rural School System
Wheatland County provides education to 281 students through six public schools and three districts. This small-scale system features two elementary, two middle, and two high schools.
Harlowton K-12 Anchors Local Education
Harlowton K-12 is the primary district, educating 258 of the county's 281 students across three schools. No charter schools operate in the county, leaving all education in the hands of traditional rural districts.
Deeply Rural and Intimately Sized
Every school in the county is classified as rural, with an average school size of 47 students. The smallest campus, Judith Gap 7-8, serves just 4 students, while the largest, Hillcrest School, serves 156.
School Overview
Total Schools
6
in Wheatland County
Reported Enrollment
281
6 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
3 School Districts in Wheatland County
Harlowton K-12
Judith Gap Elem
Judith Gap H S
6 Public Schools in Wheatland 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 6 of 6 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillcrest School | Record | Harlowton K-12 | Harlowton, 59036Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 156 |
| Harlowton High School | Record | Harlowton K-12 | Harlowton, 59036Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 69 |
| Hillcrest 7-8 | Record | Harlowton K-12 | Harlowton, 59036Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 33 |
| Judith Gap School | Record | Judith Gap Elem | Judith Gap, 59453Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 16 |
| Judith Gap 7-8 | Record | Judith Gap Elem | Judith Gap, 59453Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 4 |
| Judith Gap High School | Record | Judith Gap H S | Judith Gap, 59453Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 3 |
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$10,568
State avg $9,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Wheatland 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 Wheatland County?
What is the graduation rate in Wheatland County?
How much does Wheatland County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Wheatland County, Montana — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Wheatland County, Montana?
Wheatland County provides education to 281 students through six public schools and three districts. This small-scale system features two elementary, two middle, and two high schools.
What are the major school districts in Wheatland County, Montana?
Harlowton K-12 is the primary district, educating 258 of the county's 281 students across three schools. No charter schools operate in the county, leaving all education in the hands of traditional rural districts.
What is the school experience like in Wheatland County?
Every school in the county is classified as rural, with an average school size of 47 students. The smallest campus, Judith Gap 7-8, serves just 4 students, while the largest, Hillcrest School, serves 156.
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.