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Plains High School

Q: Is Plains High School a good school?

Plains High School ranks 131 st of 182 Montana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

131^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 182 Montana High Schools

Better than 28% of Montana high schools

Summary

Plains High School is a public high school located in Plains, Montana, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 121 students. The school is part of the Plains K-12 District, which is ranked 207 out of 387 districts in Montana and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Plains High School has consistently ranked in the lower half of Montana high schools in recent years, with rankings ranging from 72 to 131 out of 122-182 schools. The school's performance on standardized tests, such as the ACT and Montana State Tests, is significantly below the state averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 20-32% compared to the state averages of 31-55%. Additionally, Plains High School has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 100% in the 2024-2025 school year, which may contribute to the school's academic challenges.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Superior High School and St. Regis High School, Plains High School generally performs worse academically, with lower proficiency rates on standardized tests. The school's per-student spending and student-teacher ratio are also less favorable than these nearby schools. The historical data for Plains High School indicates a decline in performance over time, from a high ranking of 26 out of 128 Montana high schools in the 2012-2013 school year to a ranking of 131 out of 182 schools in the 2024-2025 school year.

121

Students ?

11.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,967

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

412 Rittenour
Plains, MT 59859

(406) 826-8600

District: Plains K-12

Feeder schools for Plains High School:

Elementary:	Plains Elementary School
Middle:	Plains 7-8

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.4%

Hispanic:

3.3%

American Indian:

2.5%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 20th percentile in 2022 → 28th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 28th (2025) from a 20th-percentile low (2022)

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Montana average (26% vs 39% meeting standards)

!English Language Arts scores 23 pts below the Montana average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school26%

District avg26%

Montana avg39%

131^st of 182

Montana public high schools ?

Bottom 28%▼ down 31 pts since 2015

From top 41% (2015) to bottom 28% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Montana High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

207^th of 387Plains K-12 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	36.7	131 of 182	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	40.3	72 of 122	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.3	89 of 124	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	12.9	91 of 114	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	29.1	96 of 138	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.8	75 of 119	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	69.3	29 of 119	75.6%	★★★★☆
2017	38.3	72 of 111	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2015	61.7	38 of 92	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	74.2	26 of 128	79.7%	★★★★☆
2012	82.2	13 of 129	89.9%	★★★★★
2011	60.8	57 of 122	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	70.9	32 of 135	76.3%	★★★★☆
2009	71.8	25 of 135	81.5%	★★★★☆
2008	26.3	114 of 139	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	67.8	40 of 136	70.6%	★★★★☆
2006	30.9	105 of 138	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	63.2	57 of 142	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2004	52.4	75 of 137	45.3%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Montana (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts32%-23 vs state

Mathematics24%-7 vs state

Science21%-9 vs state

★

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Schools Near Plains High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ACT with Writing English Language Arts (2025)	ACT with Writing Mathematics (2025)	ACT with Writing Science (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	ACT with Writing English Language Arts 11th Grade	ACT with Writing Mathematics 11th Grade	ACT with Writing Science 11th Grade	Total
Plains High School	Public	9-12	412 Rittenour	Plains	59859	Sanders County	Plains K-12	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 826-8600	121	11	11.0	100.0%	113 (93.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	36.7	131^st of 182 public high schools	28.0%		40.3	72^nd of 122 public high schools	41.0%	59	32.1	24.1	20.7	$14,967
Hot Springs High School	Public, Virtual	9-12	301 Broadway	Hot Springs	59845	Sanders County	Hot Springs K-12	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	Yes	(406) 741-2962	60	5	10.9	55.0%	36 (60.0%)	1 (1.7%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (31.7%)	71.9	38^th of 182 public high schools	79.1%		38.9	76^th of 122 public high schools	37.7%	38	60.0	27.3	45.5	$22,657
St Regis High School	Public	9-12	90 Tiger Street	Saint Regis	59866	Mineral County	St Regis K-12 Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 649-2311	54	5	10.4	100.0%	46 (85.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (9.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.6%)	35.5	132^nd of 182 public high schools	27.5%					(n/a)	42.9	14.3	21.4
Superior High School	Public	9-12	410 Arizona Avenue	Superior	59872	Mineral County	Superior K-12 Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 822-4851	96	11	8.6	100.0%	81 (84.4%)	1 (1.0%)	4 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (6.3%)	46.1	112^th of 182 public high schools	38.5%		29.3	92^nd of 122 public high schools	24.6%	20	44.8	27.6	20.7	$17,613

Frequently Asked Questions about Plains High School

How many students attend Plains High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 121 students attended Plains High School.

What is the racial makeup of Plains High School?

Students at Plains High School are 93% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% American Indian.

Is Plains High School a good school?

Plains High School ranks 131^st of 182 Montana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What district is Plains High School in?

Plains K-12

What schools feed into Plains High School?

Plains High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Plains Elementary School
Middle : Plains 7-8

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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.