Top Rankings
Columbus Elementary School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Montana for:
Category
Attribute
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 10%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there is 1 public preschool serving 320 students in Columbus Elementary School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public pre schools in Montana.
Public Preschool in Columbus Elementary School District have an average math proficiency score of 52% (versus the Montana public pre school average of 41%), and reading proficiency score of 57% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 12% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Montana public preschool average of 23% (majority American Indian).
Overview
This School District
This State (MT)
# Schools
2 Schools
395 Schools
# Students
496 Students
65,251 Students
# Teachers
30 Teachers
4,856 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1
District Rank
Columbus Elementary School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 347 school districts in Montana (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
Overall District Rank
#117 out of 350 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)

Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
42%
35%

Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
46%

Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
55-59%
37%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.19
0.40
# American Indian Students
9 Students
6,505 Students
% American Indian Students
2%
10%
# Asian Students
4 Students
357 Students
% Asian Students
1%
1%
# Hispanic Students
25 Students
4,243 Students
% Hispanic Students
5%
6%
# Black Students
4 Students
459 Students
% Black Students
1%
1%
# White Students
446 Students
50,046 Students
% White Students
90%
77%
# Hawaiian Students
n/a
111 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
8 Students
3,530 Students
% of Two or more races Students
1%
5%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
11
1,059
# Students in K Grade:
45
11,907
# Students in 1st Grade:
54
10,512
# Students in 2nd Grade:
51
10,623
# Students in 3rd Grade:
47
9,606
# Students in 4th Grade:
58
9,406
# Students in 5th Grade:
54
8,220
# Students in 6th Grade:
56
3,620
# Students in 7th Grade:
64
158
# Students in 8th Grade:
56
140
# Students in 9th Grade:
-
-
# Students in 10th Grade:
-
-
# Students in 11th Grade:
-
-
# Students in 12th Grade:
-
-
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $13,877 in this school district is less than the state median of $15,263. The school district revenue/student has declined by 6% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,355 is less than the state median of $15,352. The school district spending/student has declined by 6% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$7 MM
$2,285 MM

Spending
$6 MM
$2,298 MM

Revenue / Student
$13,877
$15,263

Spending / Student
$12,355
$15,352

Best Columbus Elementary School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Columbus Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
218 E 1st Ave N
Columbus, MT 59019
(406) 322-5372
Columbus, MT 59019
(406) 322-5372
Grades: PK-5
| 320 students
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