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Cardwell School

Public Grades PK, KG-8

37^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 401 Montana Elementary Schools

Better than 91% of Montana elementary schools

Summary

Cardwell School is a small elementary school in Cardwell, MT, serving grades PK-8 with a total enrollment of 35 students. Despite its small size, this school has consistently ranked among the top 15% of elementary schools in Montana over the past 5 years, thanks to its exceptional academic performance and dedicated staff.

Cardwell School's students consistently score well above the state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. In the 2024-2025 school year, 65% of Cardwell students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 43.09%. In Mathematics, 55% of Cardwell students were proficient or better, compared to the state average of 36.77%. Notably, 100% of Cardwell students were proficient or better in Science, far exceeding the state average of 38.16%. The school's small class sizes, ranging from 7.0 to 8.0 students per teacher, likely contribute to this strong academic performance, which is significantly lower than the nearby Three Forks Elementary (14.9 students per teacher) and Whitehall Elementary (10.7 students per teacher).

While Cardwell School outperforms the nearby schools in academic metrics, it is important to note that the school serves a higher proportion of students from low-income families, with 56.76% to 57.14% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch over the past 3 school years. This is higher than the nearby Three Forks Elementary (33.24%) and Whitehall Elementary (53.65%). Despite these challenges, Cardwell School has maintained its exceptional performance, a testament to the dedication of its staff and the effectiveness of its teaching practices.

Students ?

7.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,366

Per pupil spending ?

57.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

80 Highway 359
Cardwell, MT 59721

(406) 287-3321

District: Cardwell Elementary

Students who attend Cardwell School usually attend:

High:

Whitehall High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.0%

Two or more races:

8.6%

Hispanic:

5.7%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 37th percentile in 2021 → 91st in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Montana average (62% vs 40% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 9% of Montana elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 54 percentile points since 2021

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school62%

District avg62%

Montana avg40%

37^th of 401

Montana public elementary schools ?

Top 9%▲ up 54 pts since 2021

From bottom 37% (2021) to top 9% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Montana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

33^rd of 387Cardwell 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Montana percentile	Rating
2025	83.7	37 of 401	90.8%	★★★★★
2024	81.9	33 of 212	84.4%	★★★★☆
2023	83.9	52 of 332	84.3%	★★★★☆
2022	87.3	44 of 329	86.6%	★★★★☆
2021	46.4	226 of 356	36.5%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Montana (2024-2025) ?

Science100%+62 vs state

English Language Arts65%+22 vs state

Mathematics55%+18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Cardwell 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
Cardwell School	Public	PK, KG-8	80 Highway 359	Cardwell	59721	Jefferson County	Cardwell Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 287-3321	35	5	7.0	57.1%	28 (80.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (8.6%)	83.7	37^th of 401 public elementary schools	90.8%		81.9	33^rd of 212 public elementary schools	84.4%	4	65.0	55.0	$17,366
Whitehall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	401 N Division	Whitehall	59759	Jefferson County	Whitehall Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 287-3882	192	18	10.7	53.6%	168 (87.5%)	2 (1.0%)	9 (4.7%)	2 (1.0%)	5 (2.6%)	1 (0.5%)	5 (2.6%)	83.8	36^th of 401 public elementary schools	91.0%					(n/a)	63.8	66.0	$12,992
Harrison School	Public	PK, KG-5	120 Harrison St	Harrison	59735	Madison County	Harrison K-12 Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 685-3428	36	4	8.9	41.7%	35 (97.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19.5	347^th of 401 public elementary schools	13.5%		29.9	161^st of 212 public elementary schools	24.1%	186	20.0	25.0	$22,102
Willow Creek School	Public	PK, KG-6	407 Main	Willow Creek	59760	Gallatin County	Willow Creek Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 285-6991	33	5	6.9	30.3%	32 (97.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20.6	342^nd of 401 public elementary schools	14.7%		18.2	182^nd of 212 public elementary schools	14.2%	160	26.7	20.0	$17,368
Three Forks Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	212 East Neal	Three Forks	59752	Gallatin County	Three Forks Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 285-6830	361	24	14.9	33.2%	335 (92.8%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (1.9%)	53	194^th of 401 public elementary schools	51.6%		77	51^st of 212 public elementary schools	75.9%	143	36.4	46.7	$11,308

Frequently Asked Questions about Cardwell School

What schools do graduates of Cardwell School attend?

Students who attend Cardwell School usually go on to attend:

High : Whitehall High School

How many students attend Cardwell School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 35 students attended Cardwell School.

What district is Cardwell School in?

Cardwell Elementary

Is Cardwell School a good school?

Yes. Cardwell School ranks in the top 9.2% of Montana elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Cardwell School?

Students at Cardwell School are 80% White, 9% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 6% American Indian.

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MTMontana Elementary School Rankings

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Schools in Cardwell, MT

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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.