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Pine Butte Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5
270th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 401 Montana Elementary Schools
Better than 33% of Montana elementary schools
Summary

Pine Butte Elementary School is a public elementary school in Colstrip, Montana, serving 217 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Colstrip Elementary School District, which is ranked 319 out of 387 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Pine Butte Elementary School's performance is generally lower than the state averages. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 30.77% in English Language Arts, 35.58% in Mathematics, and 20% in Science, compared to the state averages of 43.09%, 36.77%, and 38.16%, respectively. The school's performance has been relatively consistent over the past few years, with proficiency rates ranging from around 30% to 35% in Mathematics and 29% to 32% in Reading. Compared to the nearby Colstrip Elementary School, Pine Butte Elementary School generally performs better in Mathematics but slightly worse in Reading and Science.

The school serves a population with significant socioeconomic challenges, with around 50% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite the school's higher-than-average spending per student ($13,955) and relatively low student-teacher ratio (12 to 14 students per teacher), the academic performance of the school remains below the state averages. This raises questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the school's resource allocation and utilization, and whether there are opportunities for improvement in this area.

217
Students ?
12.0
Student/teacher ratio ?
$15,541
Per pupil spending ?
47.5%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 2800 Durango Drive
       Colstrip, MT  59323

(406) 748-4699

District: Colstrip Elementary


Students who attend Pine Butte Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Frank Brattin Middle School
High:    Colstrip High School
Racial breakdown:

White:
46.5%
American Indian:
35.9%
Hispanic:
11.5%
more
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At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 1st percentile in 2016 → 33rd in 2025
Strengths
✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 33rd (2025) from a 1st-percentile low (2016)
✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher
Worth a look
!Test scores below the Montana average (31% vs 40% meeting standards)
!Science scores 18 pts below the Montana average
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school31%
District avg23%
Montana avg40%
270th of 401
Montana public elementary schools ?
Bottom 33%▲ up 32 pts since 2016
From bottom 1% (2016) to bottom 33% (2025)
See the entire ranking list of Montana Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
319th of 387Colstrip 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)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMontana percentileRating
202536.2270 of 40132.7%★★☆☆☆
202431.7156 of 21226.4%★☆☆☆☆
202327.7263 of 33220.8%★☆☆☆☆
202240.1239 of 32927.4%★☆☆☆☆
202134.1269 of 35624.4%★☆☆☆☆
201930.387 of 12329.3%★★☆☆☆
201826.992 of 11620.7%★☆☆☆☆
20163.5189 of 1911.0%☆☆☆☆☆
201361.593 of 24662.2%★★★☆☆
201250.1149 of 24438.9%★★☆☆☆
201151.3146 of 24740.9%★★☆☆☆
201052.2135 of 24144.0%★★☆☆☆
200941.8138 of 19027.4%★☆☆☆☆
200853.7102 of 19447.4%★★☆☆☆
200745.0154 of 23033.0%★★☆☆☆
200650.0137 of 23441.5%★★☆☆☆
200532.4172 of 21821.1%★☆☆☆☆
200410.4202 of 2176.9%☆☆☆☆☆
By subject vs Montana (2024-2025) ?
Mathematics36%~ state avg
English Language Arts31%-12 vs state
Science20%-18 vs state

★
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Frequently Asked Questions about Pine Butte Elementary School

Pine Butte Elementary School ranks 270th of 401 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Pine Butte Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Frank Brattin Middle School
High : Colstrip High School

In the 2024-25 school year, 217 students attended Pine Butte Elementary School.

Students at Pine Butte Elementary School are 47% White, 36% American Indian, 12% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.


Rate Pine Butte Elementary School!



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MTMontana Elementary School Rankings

MTMontana District Rankings

Schools in Colstrip, 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.




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