Richey Elementary

The Richey Elementary district in Montana is home to two small schools - Richey School, an elementary school with 42 students, and Richey 7-8, a middle school with just 10 students. These schools serve a predominantly white student population in a rural area, with mixed academic performance based on their rankings from SchoolDigger.

While Richey School has earned 2-3 out of 5 stars on its rankings over the past 3 years, placing it in the middle of the pack for Montana elementary schools, Richey 7-8 has seen more volatility, ranking as high as 29th out of 200 middle schools but also as low as 165th out of 187. Both schools benefit from very low student-to-teacher ratios, with 9.5 students per teacher at the elementary school and just 3.5 students per teacher at the middle school. However, this high level of staffing comes at a cost, with the district spending $16,170 per student in 2018-19, well above state and national averages.

Overall, the small size and racial homogeneity of these Richey Elementary schools suggest they may face unique challenges and opportunities in serving their rural community. While the academic performance is mixed, the high per-student spending and low student-teacher ratios indicate a focus on individualized attention. Further analysis would be needed to fully understand the factors driving these schools' outcomes and identify ways to support their continued improvement.