Bigfork Elementary

Q: Is Bigfork Elementary a good school?

Bigfork Elementary ranks 98 th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Bigfork Elementary is a public elementary school serving 461 students in grades PK-6 in the town of Bigfork, Montana. The school is part of the Bigfork Elementary School District, which is ranked 85 out of 300 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bigfork Elementary stands out for its consistently strong academic performance, with proficiency rates exceeding the state averages in Math, Reading, and Science. In 2022-2023, the school had a 55.67% proficiency rate in Reading compared to the state average of 46.03%. This high-achieving track record has earned Bigfork Elementary a ranking in the top 30% of Montana elementary schools, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger in the most recent year. The school also benefits from a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 14.4 to 15.7 students per teacher over the past 3 years, lower than many nearby schools.

One notable difference about Bigfork Elementary is its racial makeup, with a significantly higher percentage of white students (91.76%) compared to the 80-95% range seen at nearby schools like Lillian Peterson School, Cornelius Hedges School, and East Evergreen School. Additionally, some of the neighboring high-performing schools, such as Creston School and Lakeside Elementary School, have higher per-student spending, which could be a factor in their academic success.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

600 Commerce St
Bigfork, MT 59911

(406) 837-7412

District: Bigfork Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
98^th of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,496

Students who attend Bigfork Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Bigfork 7-8
High:	Bigfork High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.5

Number of students: 445

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.0%

Hispanic:

3.8%

American Indian:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Bigfork Elementary ranks better than 70.5% of elementary schools in Montana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.99. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93%), Hispanic (3.8%), American Indian (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 34.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bigfork Elementary is 15.5. (See more...)

Compare Bigfork Elementary employs 28.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bigfork Elementary is $10,496.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Bigfork Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Bigfork Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Bigfork Elementary 85^th of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Bigfork Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	60.15	92^nd	217	57.6%
2005	55.51	109^th	218	50.0%
2006	55.18	119^th	234	49.1%
2007	61.24	94^th	230	59.1%
2008	67.32	62^nd	194	68.0%
2009	57.60	92^nd	190	51.6%
2010	71.08	50^th	241	79.3%
2011	71.16	52^nd	247	78.9%
2012	75.47	33^rd	244	86.5%
2013	71.45	55^th	246	77.6%
2016	55.07	89^th	191	53.4%
2017	60.91	43^rd	109	60.6%
2018	62.95	40^th	116	65.5%
2019	56.45	55^th	123	55.3%
2021	58.55	167^th	356	53.1%
2022	70.12	117^th	329	64.4%
2023	70.99	98^th	332	70.5%

See the entire list of Montana Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Montana Office of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Montana Office of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Bigfork Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1990	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	531	531
1991	404	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	406
1992	435	2	1	3	5	n/a	n/a	0	446
1993	437	1	0	6	12	n/a	n/a	0	456
1994	396	1	3	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	412
1995	403	1	4	7	8	n/a	n/a	0	423
1996	403	1	4	7	8	n/a	n/a	0	423
1997	397	1	1	13	9	n/a	n/a	0	421
1998	390	2	3	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	409
1999	393	2	3	5	3	n/a	n/a	0	406
2000	366	3	7	11	11	n/a	n/a	0	398
2001	345	4	6	13	16	n/a	n/a	0	384
2002	316	4	1	8	6	n/a	n/a	0	335
2003	316	4	1	8	6	n/a	n/a	0	335
2004	318	3	2	8	8	n/a	n/a	0	339
2005	313	1	8	13	10	n/a	n/a	0	345
2006	309	2	4	10	12	n/a	n/a	0	337
2007	334	3	4	10	14	n/a	n/a	0	365
2008	339	2	3	9	11	n/a	n/a	0	364
2009	340	2	3	8	4	n/a	n/a	0	357
2010	359	9	5	11	6	n/a	n/a	0	390
2011	338	5	4	15	4	0	0	0	366
2012	350	4	3	20	3	0	2	0	382
2013	349	8	3	26	4	0	3	0	393
2014	377	4	2	30	2	0	3	0	418
2015	375	6	2	29	5	0	5	0	422
2016	377	5	2	30	2	0	8	0	424
2017	395	5	3	22	2	0	9	0	436
2018	391	5	3	26	5	0	10	0	440
2019	395	5	3	23	4	0	7	0	437
2020	411	5	2	34	4	0	7	0	463
2021	394	4	3	26	5	0	4	0	436
2022	411	2	2	23	7	1	7	0	453
2023	423	2	2	21	8	1	4	0	461
2024	414	1	2	17	10	0	1	0	445

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bigfork Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	531	29.5	18.0	18.6
1991	406	22.0	18.4	24.4
1992	446	20.3	21.9	26
1993	456	24.9	18.3	25.4
1994	412	25.6	16.1	18.9
1995	423	25.8	16.4	22.7
1996	423	25.8	16.4	22.7
1997	421	26.4	15.9	19
1998	409	24.3	16.8	23.7
1999	406	24.4	16.6	23.2
2000	398	23.8	16.7	28.6
2001	384	26.2	14.7	31.8
2002	335	24.4	13.7	34.9
2003	335	24.4	13.7	34.9
2004	339	22.7	14.9	30.1
2005	345	24.5	14.1	36.2
2006	337	24.7	13.6	37.7
2007	365	26.3	13.9	36.2
2008	364	28.0	13.0	30.5
2009	357	27.4	13.0	37
2010	390	29.4	13.2	43.1
2011	366	27.2	13.4	47
2012	382	27.1	14.0	43.2
2013	393	28.0	14.0	46.1
2014	418	29.6	14.0	47.4
2015	422	30.0	14.0	46.9
2016	424	31.0	13.6	43.9
2017	436	29.3	14.8	47.5
2018	440	27.7	15.8	44.1
2019	437	29.2	14.9	23.6
2020	463	29.2	15.8	25.9
2021	436	30.2	14.4	n/a
2022	453	28.7	15.7	n/a
2023	461	29.8	15.4	n/a
2024	445	28.5	15.5	34.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Bigfork Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	531	29.5	18.0	18.6
1991	406	22.0	18.4	24.4
1992	446	20.3	21.9	26
1993	456	24.9	18.3	25.4
1994	412	25.6	16.1	18.9
1995	423	25.8	16.4	22.7
1996	423	25.8	16.4	22.7
1997	421	26.4	15.9	19
1998	409	24.3	16.8	23.7
1999	406	24.4	16.6	23.2
2000	398	23.8	16.7	28.6
2001	384	26.2	14.7	31.8
2002	335	24.4	13.7	34.9
2003	335	24.4	13.7	34.9
2004	339	22.7	14.9	30.1
2005	345	24.5	14.1	36.2
2006	337	24.7	13.6	37.7
2007	365	26.3	13.9	36.2
2008	364	28.0	13.0	30.5
2009	357	27.4	13.0	37
2010	390	29.4	13.2	43.1
2011	366	27.2	13.4	47
2012	382	27.1	14.0	43.2
2013	393	28.0	14.0	46.1
2014	418	29.6	14.0	47.4
2015	422	30.0	14.0	46.9
2016	424	31.0	13.6	43.9
2017	436	29.3	14.8	47.5
2018	440	27.7	15.8	44.1
2019	437	29.2	14.9	23.6
2020	463	29.2	15.8	25.9
2021	436	30.2	14.4	n/a
2022	453	28.7	15.7	n/a
2023	461	29.8	15.4	n/a
2024	445	28.5	15.5	34.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bigfork Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2021	$11,310
2022	$10,622
2023	$10,496

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bigfork Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 55^th of 123 Elementary schools	Ranks 98^th of 332 Elementary schools	15.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	437	461	5.5%
African American	5	2	60%
American Indian	4	8	100%
Asian	3	2	33.3%
Hispanic	23	21	8.7%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	395	423	7.1%
Two or More Races	7	4	42.9%

Schools Near Bigfork Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Montana State Tests Mathematics (2023)	Montana State Tests Reading (2023)	Montana State Tests Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Montana State Tests Mathematics All Grades	Montana State Tests Reading All Grades	Montana State Tests Science All Grades	Total
Bigfork Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	600 Commerce St	Bigfork	59911	Flathead County	Bigfork Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 837-7412	445	29	15.5	34.4%	414 (93.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.8%)	2 (0.4%)	10 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	71	98^th of 332 public elementary schools	70.5%		70.1	117^th of 329 public elementary schools	64.4%	19	41.1	55.7	47.3	$10,496
Swan River School	Public	PK, KG-5	1205 Swan Highway	Bigfork	59911	Flathead County	Swan River Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 837-4528	111	8	13.3	33.3%	100 (90.1%)	1 (0.9%)	3 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.5%)	35.9	240^th of 332 public elementary schools	27.7%		40	240^th of 329 public elementary schools	27.1%		22.8	45.6	27.3	$10,496
Lakeside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	255 Adams Street	Lakeside	59922	Flathead County	Somers Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 844-2208	279	17	16.0	40.1%	258 (92.5%)	4 (1.4%)	8 (2.9%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.4%)	89	36^th of 332 public elementary schools	89.2%		89.6	33^rd of 329 public elementary schools	90.0%	3	59.1	63.6		$10,998
Creston School	Public	PK, KG-6	4495 Montana 35	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Creston Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 755-2859	104	10	10.4		82 (78.8%)	1 (1.0%)	14 (13.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.8%)	89.9	29^th of 332 public elementary schools	91.3%		88.3	38^th of 329 public elementary schools	88.4%	9	61.4	57.1	80.0	$9,121
Fair-Mont-Egan School	Public	PK, KG-5	797 Fairmont Road	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Fair-Mont-Egan Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 755-7072	101	10	10.6	25.7%	92 (91.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	1 (1.0%)	4 (4.0%)	73.3	89^th of 332 public elementary schools	73.2%		67	129^th of 329 public elementary schools	60.8%	40	48.9	46.7	53.9	$18,681
Cayuse Prairie School	Public	PK, KG-6	897 Lake Blaine Road	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Cayuse Prairie Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 756-4560	259	17	15.0	36.3%	244 (94.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.2%)	78.6	71^st of 332 public elementary schools	78.6%		50.2	195^th of 329 public elementary schools	40.7%	124	45.6	59.6	51.4	$10,921
Jeannette Rankin Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2155 Airport Road	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Kalispell Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 751-3400	426	25	17.0	100.0%	372 (87.3%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.4%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.6%)	67	115^th of 332 public elementary schools	65.4%		68.9	120^th of 329 public elementary schools	63.5%	5	52.7	56.6	32.2	$11,308
Cornelius Hedges School	Public	PK, KG-5	827 4th Avenue E	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Kalispell Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 751-4090	320	21	15.2	49.7%	273 (85.3%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (5.6%)	4 (1.3%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (6.6%)	72.8	92^nd of 332 public elementary schools	72.3%		61.7	146^th of 329 public elementary schools	55.6%	54	47.8	63.0	38.5	$13,278
East Evergreen School	Public	PK, KG-4	585 E. Evergreen	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Evergreen Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 751-1121	351	27	13.2	100.0%	289 (82.3%)	2 (0.6%)	32 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	23 (6.6%)	38.3	230^th of 332 public elementary schools	30.7%		57.8	158^th of 329 public elementary schools	52.0%	72	35.9	31.7		$14,696
Elrod School	Public	PK, KG-5	412 3rd Avenue W	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Kalispell Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 751-3700	211	18	11.7	100.0%	172 (81.5%)	1 (0.5%)	17 (8.1%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	18 (8.5%)	51.5	183^rd of 332 public elementary schools	44.9%		38.3	242^nd of 329 public elementary schools	26.4%	59	36.5	43.9	36.7	$13,056

Frequently Asked Questions about Bigfork Elementary

Is Bigfork Elementary a good school?

Bigfork Elementary ranks 98^th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Bigfork Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 445 students attended Bigfork Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Bigfork Elementary attend?

Students who attend Bigfork Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bigfork 7-8
High : Bigfork High School

What is the racial makeup of Bigfork Elementary?

Students at Bigfork Elementary are 93% White, 4% Hispanic, 2% American Indian.

What district is Bigfork Elementary in?

Bigfork Elementary

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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.