Meadowlark School

Q: Is Meadowlark School a good school?

Meadowlark School ranks 37 th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Meadowlark School is an elementary school in Billings, Montana, serving 562 students in grades PK-5. It is part of the Billings Elementary School District, which is ranked 169 out of 300 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Meadowlark School consistently outperforms the Billings Elementary District and the state of Montana in standardized test scores across all subjects, with 66.08% of students proficient or better in math compared to 36.42% for the district and 36.59% for the state. The school has a strong statewide ranking, placing 37th out of 332 elementary schools in Montana and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. However, Meadowlark has a relatively homogeneous student population, with over 80% of students identifying as White, in contrast to nearby schools like Washington School and Central Heights School, which have more diverse student populations.

Meadowlark School's consistent academic performance and high statewide ranking suggest that it has effective teaching practices and a strong curriculum that supports student learning. The school's ability to achieve these results with relatively lower per-student spending ($8,386 in 2018-2019) compared to nearby schools like Miles Avenue School ($10,213) and Washington School ($10,634) is also noteworthy. This could be an opportunity for the Billings Elementary District to examine Meadowlark's practices and potentially implement them in other schools to improve overall district performance.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

221 29th Street West
Billings, MT 59102

(406) 281-6213

District: Billings Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
37^th of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,489

Students who attend Meadowlark School usually attend:

Middle:	Will James Middle School
High:	Billings West High School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.3

Number of students: 707

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.9%

Two or more races:

6.2%

American Indian:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 16.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Meadowlark School ranks better than 88.9% of elementary schools in Montana. It also ranks 2^nd among 22 ranked elementary schools in the Billings Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.97. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Meadowlark School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Billings Elementary School District. Racial makeup is: White (82.9%), two or more races (6.2%), American Indian (4.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 16.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Meadowlark School is 18.3, which is the highest among 22 elementary schools in the Billings Elementary School District! (See more...)

Compare Meadowlark School employs 38.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Meadowlark School is $10,489, which is the lowest among 22 elementary schools in the Billings Elementary School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Meadowlark 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 Meadowlark School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	77.40	42^nd	217	80.6%
2005	67.56	72^nd	218	67.0%
2006	70.06	51^st	234	78.2%
2007	67.13	67^th	230	70.9%
2010	54.35	124^th	241	48.5%
2011	55.42	131^st	247	47.0%
2012	50.91	146^th	244	40.2%
2013	50.17	154^th	246	37.4%
2015	46.44	162^nd	287	43.6%
2016	54.22	91^st	191	52.4%
2017	60.71	44^th	109	59.6%
2018	66.36	36^th	116	69.0%
2019	85.61	12^th	123	90.2%
2021	85.97	57^th	356	84.0%
2022	83.36	67^th	329	79.6%
2023	88.97	37^th	332	88.9%

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 Meadowlark 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	312	312
1991	318	4	0	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	333
1992	329	5	6	6	18	n/a	n/a	0	364
1993	362	5	3	9	18	n/a	n/a	0	397
1994	353	5	3	11	9	n/a	n/a	0	381
1995	442	3	6	9	18	n/a	n/a	0	478
1996	442	3	6	9	18	n/a	n/a	0	478
1997	468	7	4	9	21	n/a	n/a	0	509
1998	449	5	3	11	23	n/a	n/a	0	491
1999	426	9	5	9	31	n/a	n/a	0	480
2000	448	6	4	10	27	n/a	n/a	0	495
2001	444	8	3	11	20	n/a	n/a	0	486
2002	446	1	5	19	31	n/a	n/a	0	502
2003	446	1	5	19	31	n/a	n/a	0	502
2004	416	6	8	31	30	n/a	n/a	0	491
2005	407	6	7	19	31	n/a	n/a	0	470
2006	428	10	6	18	38	n/a	n/a	0	500
2007	430	12	4	26	45	n/a	n/a	0	517
2008	338	9	4	13	28	n/a	n/a	0	392
2009	461	8	8	17	38	n/a	n/a	0	532
2010	434	16	15	20	37	n/a	n/a	0	522
2011	476	11	7	27	31	2	25	0	579
2012	486	9	7	48	33	3	18	0	604
2013	520	5	4	48	38	2	25	0	642
2014	526	4	4	51	37	2	33	0	657
2015	485	6	4	53	49	2	21	0	620
2016	504	10	5	42	45	5	29	0	640
2017	541	5	10	44	46	1	30	0	677
2018	412	2	13	24	10	1	31	0	493
2019	449	4	16	26	10	2	33	0	540
2020	449	2	18	20	11	1	29	0	530
2021	431	2	15	18	9	4	25	0	504
2022	444	1	17	19	7	2	34	0	524
2023	470	2	15	21	16	3	35	0	562
2024	586	4	7	29	34	3	44	0	707

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 Meadowlark School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	312	16.2	19.2	17.9
1991	333	14.2	23.4	16.2
1992	364	13.0	28.0	16.5
1993	397	18.8	21.1	13.4
1994	381	20.5	18.6	13.9
1995	478	18.7	25.6	11.7
1996	478	18.7	25.6	11.7
1997	509	19.4	26.2	13.8
1998	491	20.7	23.7	10.8
1999	480	23.6	20.3	22.3
2000	495	23.9	20.7	22
2001	486	23.5	20.7	18.1
2002	502	29.8	16.8	20.7
2003	502	29.8	16.8	20.7
2004	491	30.5	16.1	23
2005	470	28.5	16.5	22.1
2006	500	30.0	16.7	18.6
2007	517	32.9	15.7	20.5
2008	392	33.9	11.6	29.6
2009	532	36.2	14.7	25.6
2010	522	41.6	12.5	29.5
2011	579	39.1	14.7	28.8
2012	604	37.4	16.1	28.1
2013	642	37.1	17.2	23.1
2014	657	34.3	19.1	24.7
2015	620	34.0	18.2	24.4
2016	640	31.0	20.6	27
2017	677	31.4	21.5	24.7
2018	493	25.1	19.6	22.3
2019	540	35.3	15.2	22.6
2020	530	35.8	14.7	24.5
2021	504	80.6	6.2	n/a
2022	524	38.1	13.7	n/a
2023	562	36.9	15.2	n/a
2024	707	38.5	18.3	16.3

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 Meadowlark School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	312	16.2	19.2	17.9
1991	333	14.2	23.4	16.2
1992	364	13.0	28.0	16.5
1993	397	18.8	21.1	13.4
1994	381	20.5	18.6	13.9
1995	478	18.7	25.6	11.7
1996	478	18.7	25.6	11.7
1997	509	19.4	26.2	13.8
1998	491	20.7	23.7	10.8
1999	480	23.6	20.3	22.3
2000	495	23.9	20.7	22
2001	486	23.5	20.7	18.1
2002	502	29.8	16.8	20.7
2003	502	29.8	16.8	20.7
2004	491	30.5	16.1	23
2005	470	28.5	16.5	22.1
2006	500	30.0	16.7	18.6
2007	517	32.9	15.7	20.5
2008	392	33.9	11.6	29.6
2009	532	36.2	14.7	25.6
2010	522	41.6	12.5	29.5
2011	579	39.1	14.7	28.8
2012	604	37.4	16.1	28.1
2013	642	37.1	17.2	23.1
2014	657	34.3	19.1	24.7
2015	620	34.0	18.2	24.4
2016	640	31.0	20.6	27
2017	677	31.4	21.5	24.7
2018	493	25.1	19.6	22.3
2019	540	35.3	15.2	22.6
2020	530	35.8	14.7	24.5
2021	504	80.6	6.2	n/a
2022	524	38.1	13.7	n/a
2023	562	36.9	15.2	n/a
2024	707	38.5	18.3	16.3

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 Meadowlark School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$8,386
2021	$11,558
2022	$11,738
2023	$10,489

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Meadowlark 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 12^th of 123 Elementary schools	Ranks 37^th of 332 Elementary schools	1.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	540	562	4.1%
African American	4	2	50%
American Indian	10	16	60%
Asian	16	15	6.3%
Hispanic	26	21	19.2%
Pacific Islander	2	3	50%
White	449	470	4.7%
Two or More Races	33	35	6.1%

Schools Near Meadowlark 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
Meadowlark School	Public	PK, KG-5	221 29th Street West	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6213	707	39	18.3	16.3%	586 (82.9%)	4 (0.6%)	29 (4.1%)	7 (1.0%)	34 (4.8%)	3 (0.4%)	44 (6.2%)	89	37^th of 332 public elementary schools	88.9%		83.4	67^th of 329 public elementary schools	79.6%	30	66.1	61.1	55.8	$10,489
Central Heights School	Public	PK, KG-5	120 Lexington	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6209	283	19	15.2	44.5%	180 (63.6%)	1 (0.4%)	46 (16.3%)	7 (2.5%)	30 (10.6%)	2 (0.7%)	17 (6.0%)	60.5	139^th of 332 public elementary schools	58.1%		72.7	103^rd of 329 public elementary schools	68.7%	36	56.2	43.2	34.1	$12,030
Burlington School	Public	PK, KG-5	2135 Lewis Avenue	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6208	274	19	14.8	35.8%	191 (69.7%)	6 (2.2%)	27 (9.9%)	4 (1.5%)	18 (6.6%)	5 (1.8%)	23 (8.4%)	59.7	145^th of 332 public elementary schools	56.3%		43.5	223^rd of 329 public elementary schools	32.2%	78	46.1	39.1	43.2	$11,903
Big Sky Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3231 Granger Avenue East	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6204	341	20	17.3	36.1%	210 (61.6%)	11 (3.2%)	38 (11.1%)	5 (1.5%)	43 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (10.0%)	42.3	217^th of 332 public elementary schools	34.6%		55.5	172^nd of 329 public elementary schools	47.7%	45	40.3	29.9	33.3	$12,017
Boulder School	Public	PK, KG-5	2202 32nd Street West	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6206	508	28	18.0	12.4%	421 (82.9%)	2 (0.4%)	32 (6.3%)	5 (1.0%)	8 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	39 (7.7%)	73.3	90^th of 332 public elementary schools	72.9%		75	93^rd of 329 public elementary schools	71.7%	3	62.1	52.7	39.3	$11,015
Miles Avenue School	Public	PK, KG-5	1601 Miles Avenue	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 281-6214	269	19	13.8	43.5%	187 (69.5%)	6 (2.2%)	38 (14.1%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (6.7%)	2 (0.7%)	17 (6.3%)	37.1	235^th of 332 public elementary schools	29.2%		27.5	271^st of 329 public elementary schools	17.6%	36	37.1	25.9	32.3	$12,926
Rose Park School	Public	PK, KG-5	1812 19th Street West	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6219	263	18	14.9	33.1%	194 (73.8%)	3 (1.1%)	27 (10.3%)	2 (0.8%)	14 (5.3%)	2 (0.8%)	21 (8.0%)	50.4	191^st of 332 public elementary schools	42.5%		34	254^th of 329 public elementary schools	22.8%	63	36.5	40.5	38.5	$11,280
Poly Drive School	Public	PK, KG-5	2410 Poly Drive	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6217	298	19	16.0	22.5%	230 (77.2%)	4 (1.3%)	24 (8.1%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (6.4%)	3 (1.0%)	17 (5.7%)	61.7	134^th of 332 public elementary schools	59.6%		74.5	97^th of 329 public elementary schools	70.5%	37	49.4	46.2	36.5	$11,264
Arrowhead School	Public	PK, KG-5	2510 38th Street West	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 281-6201	428	24	17.9	10.3%	369 (86.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.5%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.6%)	90.1	28^th of 332 public elementary schools	91.6%		91.8	23^rd of 329 public elementary schools	93.0%	5	61.5	61.1	62.3	$11,052
Washington School	Public	PK, KG-5	1044 Cook Avenue	Billings	59102	Yellowstone County	Billings Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 281-6221	208	18	11.3	74.5%	104 (50.0%)	9 (4.3%)	33 (15.9%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (22.1%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (7.7%)	36.5	238^th of 332 public elementary schools	28.3%		26.4	272^nd of 329 public elementary schools	17.3%	34	35.3	36.9	24.5	$13,101

Frequently Asked Questions about Meadowlark School

How many students attend Meadowlark School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 707 students attended Meadowlark School.

Is Meadowlark School a good school?

Meadowlark School ranks 37^th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Meadowlark School attend?

Students who attend Meadowlark School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Will James Middle School
High : Billings West High School

What district is Meadowlark School in?

Billings Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Meadowlark School?

Students at Meadowlark School are 83% White, 6% Two or more races, 5% American Indian, 4% Hispanic.

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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.