Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Bear Paw School

Public Grades PK, KG-8

6^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 401 Montana Elementary Schools

Better than 99% of Montana elementary schools

Summary

Bear Paw School is a small elementary school in Chinook, Montana, serving grades PK-8 with just 10 students. Despite its small size, Bear Paw School is an exceptional educational institution, consistently ranking among the top schools in the state. The school is part of the Bear Paw Elementary District, which is ranked 5th out of 387 districts in Montana and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

One of the key factors that sets Bear Paw School apart is its exceptional academic performance. The school boasts a 100% proficiency rate in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, far exceeding the state averages of 43.09%, 36.77%, and 38.16%, respectively. This exceptional performance is likely due in part to the school's low student-teacher ratio, which ranges from 10:1 to 12:1, significantly lower than the nearby Cleveland School and Davey Elementary, which have ratios ranging from 8:1 to 12.8:1. Additionally, Bear Paw School spends $18,836 per student, slightly more than the $18,715 spent per student at the nearby Rocky Boy School.

The exceptional performance and high rankings of Bear Paw School are a testament to the dedication and hard work of its staff and administration. The school's consistent 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and its ranking of 6th out of 401 Montana elementary schools for the 2024-2025 school year demonstrate that it is truly one of the top-performing schools in the state. Parents in the Chinook area can be confident that their children will receive an exceptional education at Bear Paw School.

Students ?

10.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,325

Per pupil spending ?

Free/discounted lunch ?

29815 Clear Creek Rd
Chinook, MT 59523

(406) 395-4436

District: Bear Paw Elementary

Students who attend Bear Paw School usually attend:

High:

Chinook High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.0%

African American:

10.0%

See top rated Montana elementary schools

Compare Bear Paw School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Montana average (100% vs 40% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 1% of Montana elementary schools

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school100%

District avg100%

Montana avg40%

6^th of 401

Montana public elementary schools ?

Top 1%

See the entire ranking list of Montana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 387Bear Paw Elementary among Montana districts

By subject vs Montana (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts100%+57 vs state

Mathematics100%+63 vs state

Science100%+62 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Bear Paw School and help other families decide.

Rate Bear Paw School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Bear Paw 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
Bear Paw School	Public	PK, KG-8	29815 Clear Creek Rd	Chinook	59523	Blaine County	Bear Paw Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 395-4436	10	1	10.0		9 (90.0%)	1 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	99.7	6^th of 401 public elementary schools	98.5%					(n/a)	100.0	100.0	$16,325
Rocky Boy School	Public	PK, KG-8	81 Mission Taylor Road	Box Elder	59521	Hill County	Rocky Boy Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 395-4474	348	27	12.8	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	343 (98.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7	382^nd of 401 public elementary schools	4.7%		4.1	203^rd of 212 public elementary schools	4.2%	179	11.9	2.8	$21,803
Cleveland School	Public	PK, KG-8	Highway 240 (25 mile	Chinook	59523	Blaine County	Cleveland Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 357-2018	11	1	11.0		10 (90.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	95.1	15^th of 401 public elementary schools	96.3%					(n/a)	75.0	75.0	$24,300
Davey Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	56182 Clear Creek Rd	Havre	59501	Hill County	Davey Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 395-4461	8	1	8.0		6 (75.0%)	1 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	70.9	94^th of 401 public elementary schools	76.6%					(n/a)	66.7	33.3	$19,663

Frequently Asked Questions about Bear Paw School

What schools do graduates of Bear Paw School attend?

Students who attend Bear Paw School usually go on to attend:

High : Chinook High School

Is Bear Paw School a good school?

Yes! Bear Paw School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 6^th of 401 Montana elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Bear Paw School?

Students at Bear Paw School are 90% White, 10% African American.

What district is Bear Paw School in?

Bear Paw Elementary

How many students attend Bear Paw School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 10 students attended Bear Paw School.

Rate Bear Paw School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MTMontana Elementary School Rankings

MTMontana District Rankings

Schools in Chinook, MT

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Bear Paw School!

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.