Summary:
The Heart Butte, Montana school district consists of three small schools: Heart Butte Elementary, Heart Butte High School, and Heart Butte 6-8. These schools serve a community with high levels of economic disadvantage, as evidenced by the 100% free or reduced-price lunch rates across all three schools.
Unfortunately, the Heart Butte schools are not performing well academically. All three schools have very low statewide rankings, with Heart Butte Elementary and Heart Butte 6-8 ranking in the bottom 5-10% of Montana elementary and middle schools, respectively, and Heart Butte High School ranking in the bottom 10-15% of Montana high schools. Additionally, all three schools have a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating they are among the lowest-performing schools in the state. The schools' proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are 0%, significantly below the state averages.
Despite the high per-student spending of $24,057, which is significantly higher than the state average, the Heart Butte schools are not achieving strong academic outcomes. The small enrollments, ranging from 18 to 60 students, may present unique challenges, such as limited course offerings and difficulty attracting and retaining high-quality teachers. Addressing the issues facing the Heart Butte K-12 Schools will likely require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improve educational outcomes for the students in this community.
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