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

Russell School

Q: Is Russell School a good school?

Russell School ranks 131 st of 401 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

131^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 401 Montana Elementary Schools

Better than 67% of Montana elementary schools

Summary

Russell School is an elementary school in Missoula, Montana, serving 375 students in grades PK-5. It is part of the Missoula Elementary School District, which is ranked 165 out of 387 districts in the state.

Russell School has consistently performed above the state and district averages in standardized test scores for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. However, the school's performance has fluctuated over the years, with a high ranking of 37 out of 212 Montana elementary schools in 2023-2024 and a low ranking of 145 out of 356 in 2020-2021. Russell School has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 55.2% to 59.22% in recent years, which is higher than the district and state averages. The school also has a lower student-teacher ratio compared to nearby schools, ranging from 12.9 to 13.5 students per teacher in recent years, and its spending per student was $10,565 in the 2018-2019 school year, which is higher than the state average.

While Russell School generally outperforms the nearby Lowell School and Franklin School in academic metrics, it lags behind the higher-performing Jeannette Rankin Elementary, Lewis & Clark School, and Paxson School. The nearby Missoula TEACH Academy, a smaller public school, has significantly lower academic performance compared to Russell School and the other nearby schools.

375

Students ?

13.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,546

Per pupil spending ?

55.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3216 Russell Street
Missoula, MT 59801

(406) 542-4080

District: Missoula Elementary

Students who attend Russell School usually attend:

Middle:	Meadow Hill Middle School
High:	Sentinel High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

77.3%

Hispanic:

8.3%

American Indian:

6.1%

See top rated Montana elementary schools

Compare Russell School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 83rd percentile in 2024 → 67th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Montana average (47% vs 40% meeting standards)

✓Above the Montana median (67th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 83rd-percentile peak (2024) to 67th (2025)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school47%

District avg47%

Montana avg40%

131^st of 401

Montana public elementary schools ?

Top 33%▲ up 22 pts since 2015

From bottom 45% (2015) to top 33% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Montana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 9Elementary Schools in the Missoula Elementary

165^th of 387Missoula 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	64.2	131 of 401	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	81.5	37 of 212	82.5%	★★★★☆
2023	74.3	85 of 332	74.4%	★★★★☆
2022	76.3	85 of 329	74.2%	★★★★☆
2021	64.0	145 of 356	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	62.6	45 of 123	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	38.4	76 of 116	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	58.0	47 of 109	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	34.0	136 of 191	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	47.9	157 of 287	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2013	71.9	52 of 246	78.9%	★★★★☆
2012	68.8	62 of 244	74.6%	★★★★☆
2011	77.3	29 of 247	88.3%	★★★★☆
2010	73.8	32 of 241	86.7%	★★★★☆
2007	76.0	26 of 230	88.7%	★★★★☆
2006	66.3	69 of 234	70.5%	★★★★☆
2005	88.8	9 of 218	95.9%	★★★★★
2004	85.0	26 of 217	88.0%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Montana (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts50%+7 vs state

Mathematics46%+10 vs state

Science41%~ state avg

★

No ratings yet

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

Rate Russell 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 Russell 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
Russell School	Public	PK, KG-5	3216 Russell Street	Missoula	59801	Missoula County	Missoula Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 542-4080	375	28	13.5	55.2%	290 (77.3%)	2 (0.5%)	31 (8.3%)	8 (2.1%)	23 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.6%)	64.2	131^st of 401 public elementary schools	67.3%		81.5	37^th of 212 public elementary schools	82.5%	94	50.3	46.5	$14,546
Missoula TEACH Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	909 South Ave West	Missoula	59803	Missoula County	Missoula Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(406) 728-2400	84	5	16.8	69.0%	51 (60.7%)	8 (9.5%)	4 (4.8%)	13 (15.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (9.5%)	27.3	318^th of 401 public elementary schools	20.7%					(n/a)	22.7	33.3
Lewis & Clark School	Public	PK, KG-5	2901 Park	Missoula	59801	Missoula County	Missoula Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 542-4035	429	28	15.1	32.2%	361 (84.1%)	7 (1.6%)	19 (4.4%)	4 (0.9%)	21 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.0%)	70.6	95^th of 401 public elementary schools	76.3%		82.4	31^st of 212 public elementary schools	85.4%	64	54.3	45.7	$13,535
Franklin School	Public	PK, KG-5	1910 S. 11th St	Missoula	59801	Missoula County	Missoula Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 542-4020	274	23	11.9	80.3%	197 (71.9%)	12 (4.4%)	32 (11.7%)	5 (1.8%)	15 (5.5%)	1 (0.4%)	12 (4.4%)	34.6	277^th of 401 public elementary schools	30.9%		63	89^th of 212 public elementary schools	58.0%	188	32.6	25.2	$16,619
Paxson School	Public	PK, KG-5	101 Evans	Missoula	59801	Missoula County	Missoula Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 542-4055	415	26	16.1	37.6%	316 (76.1%)	7 (1.7%)	33 (8.0%)	2 (0.5%)	37 (8.9%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (4.6%)	86.1	30^th of 401 public elementary schools	92.5%		92.8	15^th of 212 public elementary schools	92.9%	15	65.3	57.8	$13,237
Chief Charlo School	Public	PK, KG-5	5600 Longview Dr	Missoula	59803	Missoula County	Missoula Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 542-4005	414	26	15.6	39.4%	348 (84.1%)	6 (1.4%)	24 (5.8%)	7 (1.7%)	9 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.8%)	61.8	143^rd of 401 public elementary schools	64.3%		80.5	40^th of 212 public elementary schools	81.1%	103	45.7	42.9	$14,681
Hawthorne School	Public	PK, KG-5	550 Hiberta St.	Missoula	59804	Missoula County	Missoula Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 542-4025	417	29	14.1	53.5%	329 (78.9%)	3 (0.7%)	14 (3.4%)	10 (2.4%)	28 (6.7%)	2 (0.5%)	31 (7.4%)	58.4	164^th of 401 public elementary schools	59.1%		74.4	63^rd of 212 public elementary schools	70.3%	101	45.5	42.4	$15,622
Lowell School	Public	PK, KG-5	1215 Phillips St	Missoula	59802	Missoula County	Missoula Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 542-4040	354	24	14.7	86.4%	275 (77.7%)	19 (5.4%)	10 (2.8%)	3 (0.8%)	27 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.6%)	30.8	297^th of 401 public elementary schools	25.9%		45.2	131^st of 212 public elementary schools	38.2%	166	28.5	28.3	$15,776
Jeannette Rankin Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5150 Bigfork Rd.	Missoula	59803	Missoula County	Missoula Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 542-4010	457	26	17.5	26.5%	407 (89.1%)	6 (1.3%)	14 (3.1%)	11 (2.4%)	8 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.4%)	80.6	50^th of 401 public elementary schools	87.5%		94.1	10^th of 212 public elementary schools	95.3%	40	58.0	60.4	$12,695
Target Range School	Public	PK, KG-6	4095 South Avenue West	Missoula	59804	Missoula County	Target Range Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 549-9239	410	27	15.2	34.9%	346 (84.4%)	5 (1.2%)	18 (4.4%)	6 (1.5%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.1%)	61	149^th of 401 public elementary schools	62.8%		79.9	45^th of 212 public elementary schools	78.8%	104	54.3	37.3	$12,469

Frequently Asked Questions about Russell School

What schools do graduates of Russell School attend?

Students who attend Russell School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Meadow Hill Middle School
High : Sentinel High School

How many students attend Russell School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 375 students attended Russell School.

What is the racial makeup of Russell School?

Students at Russell School are 77% White, 8% Hispanic, 6% American Indian, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Russell School in?

Missoula Elementary

Is Russell School a good school?

Russell School ranks 131^st of 401 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Russell School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MTMontana Elementary School Rankings

MTMontana District Rankings

Schools in Missoula, MT

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Russell 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.