Bench School

Summary:

Bench School is an elementary school in Billings, Montana, serving 339 students in grades PK-5. Despite being part of the Billings Elementary District, which is ranked 169 out of 300 districts in the state, Bench School consistently underperforms its peers in academic metrics.

In the 2022-2023 school year, only 22.14% of Bench School students were proficient or better in Mathematics, 21.43% in Reading, and 26.09% in Science, compared to the Billings Elementary District scores of 36.42%, 39.27%, and 35.28%, respectively, and the state scores of 36.59%, 46.03%, and 37.03%. Bench School's statewide ranking has also been declining, placing between 241 and 288 out of 329-356 Montana elementary schools in the past 5 years, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of this period.

While Bench School has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Native American (23.89%) and Hispanic (10.32%) students compared to nearby schools like McKinley School, Highland School, and Alkali Creek School, the school's lack of data on free/reduced lunch rates makes it difficult to assess the socioeconomic factors that could be impacting its performance. Nonetheless, the school's low academic performance and statewide ranking present opportunities for the district and school administration to identify and address the root causes of the underperformance, potentially through targeted interventions and resource allocation to support the unique needs of the student population.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

505 Milton Road
Billings, MT 59105

(406) 281-6203

District: Billings Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
282^nd of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,799

Students who attend Bench School usually attend:

Middle:	Castle Rock Middle School
High:	Skyview High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.9

Number of students: 314

Racial breakdown:

White:

58.0%

American Indian:

19.1%

Hispanic:

10.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Bench School ranks worse than 84.9% of elementary schools in Montana. It also ranks 20^th among 22 ranked elementary schools in the Billings Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.41. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (58%), American Indian (19.1%), Hispanic (10.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bench School is 13.9, which is the 7^th best among 22 elementary schools in the Billings Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Bench School employs 22.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bench School is $11,799. 11 elementary schools in the Billings Elementary School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Bench School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Billings Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Billings Elementary 169^th of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Bench School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	25.60	170^th	217	21.7%
2005	17.28	195^th	218	10.6%
2006	39.97	170^th	234	27.4%
2007	48.83	137^th	230	40.4%
2008	36.03	156^th	194	19.6%
2009	38.62	148^th	190	22.1%
2010	38.59	181^st	241	24.9%
2011	34.54	194^th	247	21.5%
2012	32.34	194^th	244	20.5%
2013	34.93	187^th	246	24.0%
2015	22.09	238^th	287	17.1%
2016	13.47	172^nd	191	9.9%
2017	6.84	107^th	109	1.8%
2018	12.60	112^th	116	3.4%
2019	22.34	101^st	123	17.9%
2021	42.48	241^st	356	32.3%
2022	19.70	288^th	329	12.5%
2023	20.41	282^nd	332	15.1%

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 Bench School

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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	459	459
1991	406	2	5	14	13	n/a	n/a	0	440
1992	437	1	4	12	17	n/a	n/a	0	471
1993	428	2	6	22	43	n/a	n/a	0	501
1994	405	3	3	27	23	n/a	n/a	0	461
1995	444	4	3	15	48	n/a	n/a	0	514
1996	444	4	3	15	48	n/a	n/a	0	514
1997	363	6	2	22	41	n/a	n/a	0	434
1998	364	4	2	25	48	n/a	n/a	0	443
1999	358	1	3	20	50	n/a	n/a	0	432
2000	344	7	2	21	58	n/a	n/a	0	432
2001	349	9	1	16	50	n/a	n/a	0	425
2002	318	10	4	19	38	n/a	n/a	0	389
2003	318	10	4	19	38	n/a	n/a	0	389
2004	313	11	2	16	35	n/a	n/a	0	377
2005	314	13	4	19	31	n/a	n/a	0	381
2006	333	16	5	18	41	n/a	n/a	0	413
2007	327	12	4	25	45	n/a	n/a	0	413
2008	268	8	3	21	30	n/a	n/a	0	330
2009	245	9	3	20	47	n/a	n/a	0	324
2010	253	8	3	21	48	n/a	n/a	0	333
2011	270	5	1	20	44	3	14	0	357
2012	270	5	1	18	53	1	28	0	376
2013	249	4	1	28	46	2	30	0	360
2014	275	5	1	39	46	2	33	0	401
2015	273	3	0	34	54	2	40	0	406
2016	266	3	0	43	51	2	43	0	408
2017	276	6	0	44	42	0	39	0	407
2018	251	8	1	37	50	0	38	0	385
2019	238	2	2	37	43	0	40	0	362
2020	212	3	4	40	47	0	25	0	331
2021	185	4	3	29	54	0	25	0	300
2022	190	6	1	34	64	0	28	0	323
2023	180	6	2	35	81	2	33	0	339
2024	182	3	2	34	60	1	32	0	314

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 Bench School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	459	22.5	20.4	18.1
1991	440	20.9	21.0	20
1992	471	18.5	25.4	34.2
1993	501	23.2	21.6	29.5
1994	461	22.5	20.5	36.4
1995	514	24.9	20.6	39.1
1996	514	24.9	20.6	39.1
1997	434	21.8	19.9	35.5
1998	443	22.2	20.0	34.3
1999	432	23.7	18.2	46.5
2000	432	26.1	16.6	48.1
2001	425	25.4	16.7	45.6
2002	389	25.2	15.4	49.6
2003	389	25.2	15.4	49.6
2004	377	26.2	14.4	45.1
2005	381	26.1	14.6	45.7
2006	413	26.8	15.4	48.2
2007	413	27.0	15.3	55.2
2008	330	22.4	14.7	54.5
2009	324	24.0	13.5	55.9
2010	333	23.6	14.1	60.1
2011	357	22.7	15.7	58
2012	376	23.4	16.0	60.4
2013	360	21.0	17.1	60.6
2014	401	23.0	17.3	61.8
2015	406	23.0	17.6	66.3
2016	408	24.0	17.0	70.6
2017	407	25.4	15.9	69.8
2018	385	25.4	15.1	51.9
2019	362	24.9	14.4	63
2020	331	22.6	14.6	66.2
2021	300	20.2	14.8	n/a
2022	323	23.2	13.8	n/a
2023	339	22.9	14.7	n/a
2024	314	22.5	13.9	68.2

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 Bench School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	459	22.5	20.4	18.1
1991	440	20.9	21.0	20
1992	471	18.5	25.4	34.2
1993	501	23.2	21.6	29.5
1994	461	22.5	20.5	36.4
1995	514	24.9	20.6	39.1
1996	514	24.9	20.6	39.1
1997	434	21.8	19.9	35.5
1998	443	22.2	20.0	34.3
1999	432	23.7	18.2	46.5
2000	432	26.1	16.6	48.1
2001	425	25.4	16.7	45.6
2002	389	25.2	15.4	49.6
2003	389	25.2	15.4	49.6
2004	377	26.2	14.4	45.1
2005	381	26.1	14.6	45.7
2006	413	26.8	15.4	48.2
2007	413	27.0	15.3	55.2
2008	330	22.4	14.7	54.5
2009	324	24.0	13.5	55.9
2010	333	23.6	14.1	60.1
2011	357	22.7	15.7	58
2012	376	23.4	16.0	60.4
2013	360	21.0	17.1	60.6
2014	401	23.0	17.3	61.8
2015	406	23.0	17.6	66.3
2016	408	24.0	17.0	70.6
2017	407	25.4	15.9	69.8
2018	385	25.4	15.1	51.9
2019	362	24.9	14.4	63
2020	331	22.6	14.6	66.2
2021	300	20.2	14.8	n/a
2022	323	23.2	13.8	n/a
2023	339	22.9	14.7	n/a
2024	314	22.5	13.9	68.2

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 Bench School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2021	$12,172
2022	$12,812
2023	$11,799

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bench School

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 101^st of 123 Elementary schools	Ranks 282^nd of 332 Elementary schools	2.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	362	339	6.4%
African American	2	6	200%
American Indian	43	81	88.4%
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	37	35	5.4%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	238	180	24.4%
Two or More Races	40	33	17.5%

Schools Near Bench School

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
Bench School	Public	PK, KG-5	505 Milton Road	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 281-6203	314	23	13.9	68.2%	182 (58.0%)	3 (1.0%)	34 (10.8%)	2 (0.6%)	60 (19.1%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (10.2%)	20.4	282^nd of 332 public elementary schools	15.1%		19.7	288^th of 329 public elementary schools	12.5%	6	22.1	21.4	26.1	$11,799
Bitterroot School	Public	PK, KG-5	1801 Bench Blvd	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6205	289	17	16.7	36.3%	208 (72.0%)	1 (0.3%)	30 (10.4%)	2 (0.7%)	15 (5.2%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (11.1%)	37.3	234^th of 332 public elementary schools	29.5%		36.4	247^th of 329 public elementary schools	24.9%	13	32.3	34.2	31.4	$11,855
Sandstone School	Public	PK, KG-5	1440 Nutter Blvd	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6220	390	22	17.8	36.9%	272 (69.7%)	9 (2.3%)	41 (10.5%)	1 (0.3%)	36 (9.2%)	4 (1.0%)	27 (6.9%)	46.7	199^th of 332 public elementary schools	40.1%		48.6	206^th of 329 public elementary schools	37.4%	7	40.3	37.0	33.3	$11,038
Beartooth School	Public	PK, KG-5	1345 Elaine Street	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6202	352	22	16.2	45.2%	239 (67.9%)	1 (0.3%)	31 (8.8%)	1 (0.3%)	54 (15.3%)	1 (0.3%)	25 (7.1%)	56.9	156^th of 332 public elementary schools	53.0%		43.4	225^th of 329 public elementary schools	31.6%	69	36.7	43.8	43.6	$11,630
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	321	20	16.3	22.1%	246 (76.6%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (8.4%)	5 (1.6%)	15 (4.7%)	1 (0.3%)	27 (8.4%)	62	131^st of 332 public elementary schools	60.5%		57.8	159^th of 329 public elementary schools	51.7%	28	49.1	40.0	43.1	$11,286
Eagle Cliffs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1201 Kootenai	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6210	423	24	17.4	17.0%	320 (75.7%)	6 (1.4%)	38 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.9%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (6.9%)	55.4	165^th of 332 public elementary schools	50.3%		64.2	137^th of 329 public elementary schools	58.4%	28	48.9	48.1	26.6	$10,886
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	339	26	13.2	58.4%	247 (72.9%)	3 (0.9%)	49 (14.5%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.5%)								(n/a)
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	387	28	14.0	55.6%	279 (72.1%)	1 (0.3%)	58 (15.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.5%)								(n/a)
Independent School	Public	PK, KG-6	2907 Roundup Road	Billings	59105	Yellowstone County	Independent Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 259-8109	299	18	16.2	28.1%	250 (83.6%)	3 (1.0%)	19 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.3%)	5 (1.7%)	15 (5.0%)	56	161^st of 332 public elementary schools	51.5%		76.6	83^rd of 329 public elementary schools	74.8%	78	44.3	45.9	33.3	$9,595
McKinley School	Public	PK, KG-5	820 North 31st Street	Billings	59101	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 281-6212	299	24	12.4	69.9%	167 (55.9%)	4 (1.3%)	32 (10.7%)	2 (0.7%)	61 (20.4%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (10.7%)	75.2	83^rd of 332 public elementary schools	75.0%		49.3	204^th of 329 public elementary schools	38.0%	121	48.8	51.2	51.3	$11,884

Frequently Asked Questions about Bench School

Is Bench School a good school?

Bench School ranks in the bottom 15.1% of Montana elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Bench School attend?

Students who attend Bench School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Castle Rock Middle School
High : Skyview High School

What is the racial makeup of Bench School?

Students at Bench School are 58% White, 19% American Indian, 11% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races.

How many students attend Bench School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 314 students attended Bench School.

What district is Bench School in?

Billings 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.