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Columbus Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

31^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 401 Montana Elementary Schools

Better than 92% of Montana elementary schools

Summary

Columbus Elementary School is a public elementary school in Columbus, Montana, serving 278 students in grades PK-5. This school stands out as a high-performing institution, consistently ranking among the top 30-80 elementary schools in the state over the past decade.

With a strong academic track record, Columbus Elementary School has significantly higher test scores than the state averages. In the 2024-2025 school year, 60.71% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 43.09%, and 65% were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 36.77%. The school also outperformed the state in Science assessments. Additionally, the school has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 34.17%, and a favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.8, both of which may contribute to its academic success.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Roberts School, Fishtail School, Joliet School, and Park City School, Columbus Elementary School stands out as a higher-performing institution, with better test scores and overall rankings. While the school's performance is already strong, there may be opportunities to further improve in areas like Science assessments, where the school's scores, while still above the state average, could potentially be an area of focus.

278

Students ?

14.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,627

Per pupil spending ?

34.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

218 E 1st Ave N
Columbus, MT 59019

(406) 322-5372

District: Columbus Elementary

Students who attend Columbus Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Columbus Middle School
High:	Columbus High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.2%

Hispanic:

4.7%

American Indian:

2.5%

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Compare Columbus Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 93rd percentile in 2013 → 92nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Montana average (63% vs 40% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 8% of Montana elementary schools

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school63%

District avg47%

Montana avg40%

31^st of 401

Montana public elementary schools ?

Top 8%▲ up 6 pts since 2015

From top 14% (2015) to top 8% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Montana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

136^th of 387Columbus Elementary among Montana districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Montana percentile	Rating
2025	85.9	31 of 401	92.3%	★★★★★
2023	77.2	78 of 332	76.5%	★★★★☆
2022	87.2	48 of 329	85.4%	★★★★☆
2021	72.1	109 of 356	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	67.3	38 of 123	69.1%	★★★★☆
2018	66.9	34 of 116	70.7%	★★★★☆
2017	69.9	29 of 109	73.4%	★★★★☆
2016	74.7	46 of 191	75.9%	★★★★☆
2015	84.3	39 of 287	86.4%	★★★★☆
2013	81.7	17 of 246	93.1%	★★★★★
2012	82.9	7 of 244	97.1%	★★★★★
2011	71.3	51 of 247	79.4%	★★★★☆
2010	82.8	8 of 241	96.7%	★★★★★
2009	76.2	18 of 190	90.5%	★★★★★
2008	78.8	20 of 194	89.7%	★★★★★
2007	70.9	52 of 230	77.4%	★★★★☆
2006	76.4	26 of 234	88.9%	★★★★☆
2005	86.3	18 of 218	91.7%	★★★★★
2004	85.2	24 of 217	88.9%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Montana (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics65%+28 vs state

Science65%+27 vs state

English Language Arts61%+18 vs state

2.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, January 24, 2014

Our family of 6 just moved here from Dillon due to a work related move.

Our nine year old son was a straight A-B student in second grade last year. This year in 3rd we cannot get above a C average. We are not getting any positive feed back from the school other than "He will adjust". We're approaching the 2nd part of the year and there is no improvements.

If you have to move in to the area go to a different school district that will HELP your kids. NOT "Let them adjust"... Close Quote

Schools Near Columbus Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MAST English Language Arts (2025)	MAST Mathematics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAST English Language Arts All Grades	MAST Mathematics All Grades	Total
Columbus Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	218 E 1st Ave N	Columbus	59019	Stillwater County	Columbus Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 322-5372	278	19	14.8	34.2%	248 (89.2%)	4 (1.4%)	13 (4.7%)	2 (0.7%)	7 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	85.9	31^st of 401 public elementary schools	92.3%					(n/a)	60.7	65.0	$17,627
Absarokee School	Public	PK, KG-5	327 S. Woodard Ave	Absarokee	59001	Stillwater County	Absarokee Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 328-4581	79	7	11.0	35.4%	75 (94.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39.7	252^nd of 401 public elementary schools	37.2%		52.1	119^th of 212 public elementary schools	43.9%	133	37.1	28.6	$16,172
Reed Point Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	105 Central Ave	Reed Point	59069	Stillwater County	Reed Point Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 326-2228	28	3	8.4	50.0%	22 (78.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (17.9%)	1 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	72	90^th of 401 public elementary schools	77.6%		56.4	103^rd of 212 public elementary schools	51.4%	13	47.1	76.5	$24,697
Park City School	Public	PK, KG-6	10 2nd Ave SW	Park City	59063	Stillwater County	Park City Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 633-2350	179	15	11.6	44.7%	159 (88.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.3%)	54.4	186^th of 401 public elementary schools	53.6%					(n/a)	48.5	35.0	$11,755
Joliet School	Public	PK, KG-5	300 N Park St	Joliet	59041	Carbon County	Joliet Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 962-3541	177	15	11.8	35.6%	173 (97.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50.1	207^th of 401 public elementary schools	48.4%					(n/a)	35.6	40.5	$12,886
Fishtail School	Public	PK, KG-8	119 Easton Avenue	Fishtail	59028	Stillwater County	Fishtail Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 328-4277	15	1	15.0	40.0%	15 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54.4	187^th of 401 public elementary schools	53.4%					(n/a)	50.0	33.3	$25,806
Roberts School	Public	PK, KG-6	106 Maple St	Roberts	59070	Carbon County	Roberts K-12 Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 445-2421	39	6	6.9	100.0%	36 (92.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.6%)	68.8	108^th of 401 public elementary schools	73.1%					(n/a)	45.5	54.6	$21,822

Frequently Asked Questions about Columbus Elementary School

Is Columbus Elementary School a good school?

Yes. Columbus Elementary School ranks in the top 7.7% of Montana elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Columbus Elementary School?

Students at Columbus Elementary School are 89% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% American Indian, 1% African American, 1% Two or more races.

How many students attend Columbus Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 278 students attended Columbus Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Columbus Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Columbus Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Columbus Middle School
High : Columbus High School

What district is Columbus Elementary School in?

Columbus Elementary

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.