Summary:
The Harlowton K-12 school district in Montana has only one elementary school, Hillcrest School, which serves grades PK-8. While the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 12.1, its academic performance has been declining in recent years, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science falling below the district and state averages.
Hillcrest School's statewide ranking has dropped significantly, from 157th out of 212 Montana elementary schools in 2023-2024 to 306th out of 401 in 2024-2025, with a 2-star and 1-star rating, respectively. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates were lower than the Harlowton K-12 district and the state of Montana in all three subject areas tested, with ELA proficiency at 24.55%, Math proficiency at 32.73%, and Science proficiency at 18.42%.
The school serves a high-poverty student population, with 76.41% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. This may be a contributing factor to the school's academic challenges, as research has shown that poverty can have a significant impact on student achievement. While the smaller class sizes at Hillcrest School may be beneficial, they do not appear to be enough to overcome the school's performance issues compared to its peers in the district and state.
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