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Independent School

Q: Is Independent School a good school?

Independent School ranks 214 th of 401 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-6

214^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 401 Montana Elementary Schools

Better than 47% of Montana elementary schools

Summary

Independent School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in Billings, MT, with 272 students. The school is part of the Independent Elementary school district, which is ranked 215 out of 387 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Independent School's test scores are generally below the state averages in English Language Arts (39.53% proficiency), Math (39.08%), and Science (34%), the school's performance is particularly concerning when compared to nearby schools. For example, Eagle Cliffs Elementary had significantly higher proficiency rates in ELA (53.42%) and Math (54.79%) in 2024-2025. Additionally, Independent School's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the years, from 71st out of 244 schools in 2010-2011 to 214th out of 401 schools in 2024-2025, indicating a deterioration in performance relative to other Montana elementary schools.

One potential factor contributing to Independent School's underperformance is the high percentage of students (31.25%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which suggests a higher proportion of low-income families attending the school. This, combined with the lower spending per student ($7,573) compared to some nearby schools, such as McKinley School ($9,348 per student) and Lockwood Intermediate ($9,087 per student), may be contributing to the school's academic challenges. Addressing these issues through targeted interventions, increased funding, and collaboration with the community may be necessary to improve the school's performance and outcomes.

272

Students ?

13.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,691

Per pupil spending ?

31.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2907 Roundup Road
Billings, MT 59105

(406) 259-8109

District: Independent Elementary

Students who attend Independent School usually attend:

High:

Skyview High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.5%

Hispanic:

7.4%

American Indian:

4.8%

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Compare Independent School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 72nd percentile in 2011 → 47th in 2025

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 25 percentile points since 2011

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school39%

District avg39%

Montana avg40%

214^th of 401

Montana public elementary schools ?

Bottom 47%▲ up 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Montana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

215^th of 387Independent 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

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Montana percentile	Rating
2025	48.8	214 of 401	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	56.0	161 of 332	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	76.6	83 of 329	74.8%	★★★★☆
2021	58.2	169 of 356	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.1	56 of 123	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	36.7	128 of 191	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2015	48.1	156 of 287	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2013	64.1	83 of 246	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	66.4	71 of 244	70.9%	★★★★☆
2011	68.3	70 of 247	71.7%	★★★★☆
2010	67.2	64 of 241	73.4%	★★★★☆
2009	56.0	101 of 190	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	54.6	101 of 194	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	61.7	91 of 230	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	62.3	90 of 234	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2005	82.4	31 of 218	85.8%	★★★★☆
2004	76.4	44 of 217	79.7%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Montana (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts40%-4 vs state

Mathematics39%~ state avg

Science34%-4 vs state

★

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Schools Near Independent 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
Independent School	Public	PK, KG-6	2907 Roundup Road	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Independent Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 259-8109	272	20	13.8	31.3%	219 (80.5%)	1 (0.4%)	20 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.8%)	7 (2.6%)	12 (4.4%)	48.8	214^th of 401 public elementary schools	46.6%					(n/a)	39.5	39.1	$9,691
Bitterroot School	Public	PK, KG-5	1801 Bench Blvd	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6205	264	16	16.5	57.2%	185 (70.1%)	1 (0.4%)	35 (13.3%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (3.8%)	1 (0.4%)	31 (11.7%)	36.7	267^th of 401 public elementary schools	33.4%		40.2	140^th of 212 public elementary schools	34.0%	127	37.5	22.8	$12,334
Beartooth School	Public	PK, KG-5	1345 Elaine Street	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6202	373	22	17.0	59.2%	256 (68.6%)	2 (0.5%)	40 (10.7%)	1 (0.3%)	49 (13.1%)	1 (0.3%)	24 (6.4%)	32.1	291^st of 401 public elementary schools	27.4%		49.9	125^th of 212 public elementary schools	41.0%	166	32.4	28.5	$12,091
Sandstone School	Public	PK, KG-5	1440 Nutter Blvd	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6220	393	24	16.5	55.0%	276 (70.2%)	6 (1.5%)	47 (12.0%)	1 (0.3%)	36 (9.2%)	3 (0.8%)	24 (6.1%)	36.9	266^th of 401 public elementary schools	33.7%		61	96^th of 212 public elementary schools	54.7%	170	36.1	29.1	$11,897
Pioneer School	Public	PK, KG-8	1937 Dover Road	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Pioneer Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 373-5357	73	7	10.2	4.1%	56 (76.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (16.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	30.5	300^th of 401 public elementary schools	25.2%					(n/a)	30.6	22.2	$11,389
Bench School	Public	PK, KG-5	505 Milton Road	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 281-6203	332	22	14.9	70.5%	188 (56.6%)	3 (0.9%)	37 (11.1%)	1 (0.3%)	66 (19.9%)	1 (0.3%)	36 (10.8%)	24.3	327^th of 401 public elementary schools	18.5%					(n/a)	29.9	18.7	$12,697
Eagle Cliffs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1201 Kootenai	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6210	443	25	17.6	25.7%	340 (76.7%)	4 (0.9%)	45 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.1%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (5.9%)	69.1	106^th of 401 public elementary schools	73.6%		78	50^th of 212 public elementary schools	76.4%	56	53.4	54.8	$11,626
Alkali Creek School	Public	PK, KG-5	681 Alkali Creek Road	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6200	310	18	17.6	31.9%	234 (75.5%)	1 (0.3%)	33 (10.6%)	5 (1.6%)	13 (4.2%)	1 (0.3%)	23 (7.4%)	60.8	151^st of 401 public elementary schools	62.3%		61.6	94^th of 212 public elementary schools	55.7%	57	49.1	41.4	$11,705
Lockwood Intermediate	Public	3-5	1932 US Highway 87 E.	Billings	59101	Yellowstone County	Lockwood K-12	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 248-3239	321	26	12.2	96.3%	238 (74.1%)	1 (0.3%)	48 (15.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.5%)	35.8	271^st of 401 public elementary schools	32.4%					(n/a)	33.2	28.5
Lockwood Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	1932 US Highway 87 E.	Billings	59101	Yellowstone County	Lockwood K-12	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 252-2776	348	28	12.4	96.0%	255 (73.3%)	1 (0.3%)	44 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (8.3%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Independent School

What district is Independent School in?

Independent Elementary

How many students attend Independent School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 272 students attended Independent School.

Is Independent School a good school?

Independent School ranks 214^th of 401 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Independent School?

Students at Independent School are 81% White, 7% Hispanic, 5% American Indian, 4% Two or more races, 3% Pacific Islander.

What schools do graduates of Independent School attend?

Students who attend Independent School usually go on to attend:

High : Skyview High School

Rate Independent School!

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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.