Summary:
The city of Lima, Montana is home to two small, rural schools - Lima School, an elementary school, and Lima High School. Both schools serve very small student populations of just 21 and 13 students, respectively, and are part of the Lima K-12 Schools district. However, the data paints a concerning picture of persistently low academic performance at these schools, despite relatively high levels of funding.
Both Lima School and Lima High School have very low test scores compared to the state averages, with only 7.14% of Lima School students proficient or better in math and 0% proficiency rates in math and science at Lima High School on the ACT. The schools are also ranked in the bottom half of their respective school types in Montana and have a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating poor overall performance. This poor performance has been consistent over time, with Lima School's statewide ranking declining from 176th out of 212 elementary schools in 2023-2024 to 290th out of 401 in 2024-2025.
Interestingly, the schools receive significantly higher per-student spending than the state average, at $19,822 per student. However, this high level of funding does not appear to be translating to better academic outcomes. Additionally, both schools have high rates of free and reduced lunch recipients, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student populations. These factors, combined with the small school sizes, likely present significant challenges in terms of resources, staffing, and providing a comprehensive educational experience, which may be contributing to the poor performance seen in the data.
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