Columbia Falls Junior High School

Q: Is Columbia Falls Junior High School a good school?

Columbia Falls Junior High School ranks 86 th of 187 Montana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Columbia Falls Junior High School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Columbia Falls, Montana, with a student population of 526. The school is part of the Columbia Falls Elementary School District, which is ranked 161 out of 300 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school has a higher percentage of white students (87.26%) compared to the state average, and a lower percentage of minority students, particularly Hispanic (5.32%) and Native American (0.95%) students. Academically, Columbia Falls Junior High School performs slightly below the state average in mathematics (31.33% proficient or better) and science (38.18% proficient or better), but performs better than the state average in reading (50.57% proficient or better). The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 12th out of 60 middle schools in 2018-2019 to 86th out of 187 in 2022-2023, with a consistent 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

When compared to nearby middle schools, Columbia Falls Junior High School generally performs better than the lower-ranked schools like Smith Valley 7-8 and Evergreen Junior High, but lags behind the higher-performing schools like West Valley Middle School and Whitefish Middle 5-8. The school has maintained a relatively consistent student-teacher ratio of around 14:1 over the past few years, which is in line with the nearby schools.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1805 Talbot Road
Columbia Falls, MT 59912

(406) 892-6530

District: Columbia Falls Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
86^th of 187 Montana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,812

Students who attend Columbia Falls Junior High School usually attend:

High:

Columbia Falls High School

Feeder schools for Columbia Falls Junior High School:

Elementary:	Glacier Gateway Elementary
	Ruder Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.8

Number of students: 543

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.2%

Hispanic:

5.2%

Two or more races:

5.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 56.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Columbia Falls Junior High School ranks better than 54% of middle schools in Montana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.69. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (88.2%), Hispanic (5.2%), two or more races (5.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 56.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Columbia Falls Junior High School is 14.8. (See more...)

Compare Columbia Falls Junior High School employs 36.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Columbia Falls Junior High School is $12,812.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Columbia Falls Junior High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia Falls Junior High School 86^th of 187 Montana public middle schools. (See Columbia Falls Junior High School in the ranking list.)

Columbia Falls Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia Falls Elementary 161^st of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Columbia Falls Junior High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	47.76	108^th	171	36.8%
2005	39.43	123^rd	164	25.0%
2006	41.76	110^th	146	24.7%
2007	52.60	81^st	147	44.9%
2008	38.21	119^th	149	20.1%
2009	32.93	121^st	147	17.7%
2010	45.06	112^th	156	28.2%
2011	49.01	104^th	161	35.4%
2012	63.04	59^th	156	62.2%
2013	52.31	97^th	159	39.0%
2015	49.93	66^th	156	57.7%
2016	59.27	27^th	81	66.7%
2017	62.62	18^th	55	67.3%
2018	74.76	10^th	58	82.8%
2019	71.13	12^th	60	80.0%
2021	50.97	99^th	200	50.5%
2022	62.67	65^th	190	65.8%
2023	53.69	86^th	187	54.0%

See the entire list of Montana Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Montana Office of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Columbia Falls Junior High School

Compare

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	364	364
1991	323	1	9	2	37	n/a	n/a	0	372
1992	349	1	3	2	14	n/a	n/a	0	369
1993	394	0	2	0	18	n/a	n/a	0	414
1994	414	0	3	5	19	n/a	n/a	0	441
1995	466	1	1	5	13	n/a	n/a	0	486
1996	466	1	1	5	13	n/a	n/a	0	486
1997	478	2	0	4	19	n/a	n/a	0	503
1998	402	2	0	5	25	n/a	n/a	0	434
1999	381	1	2	3	18	n/a	n/a	0	405
2000	396	2	1	8	9	n/a	n/a	0	416
2001	414	1	6	10	17	n/a	n/a	0	448
2002	413	2	9	3	10	n/a	n/a	0	437
2003	413	2	9	3	10	n/a	n/a	0	437
2004	445	3	4	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	463
2005	417	5	4	8	14	n/a	n/a	0	448
2006	373	3	4	11	15	n/a	n/a	0	406
2007	367	5	0	7	10	n/a	n/a	0	389
2008	359	5	1	7	16	n/a	n/a	0	388
2009	322	6	4	6	13	n/a	n/a	0	351
2010	345	4	9	12	12	n/a	n/a	0	382
2011	342	2	1	13	3	2	18	0	381
2012	299	0	1	16	5	1	14	0	336
2013	430	0	4	20	14	0	19	0	487
2014	427	0	2	11	13	0	20	0	473
2015	414	0	0	12	12	0	21	0	459
2016	410	1	1	20	11	0	30	0	473
2017	420	1	4	25	9	1	24	0	484
2018	424	3	2	24	10	0	24	0	487
2019	430	1	3	21	12	0	32	0	499
2020	454	1	1	18	15	1	32	0	522
2021	438	0	1	24	9	1	33	0	506
2022	464	1	2	24	7	1	28	0	527
2023	459	1	0	28	5	1	32	0	526
2024	479	1	0	28	6	1	28	0	543

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 Columbia Falls Junior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	364	21.2	17.1	20.3
1991	372	20.9	17.7	19.9
1992	369	21.9	16.8	n/a
1993	414	28.8	14.4	23.7
1994	441	25.3	17.4	21.5
1995	486	28.8	16.9	20.6
1996	486	28.8	16.9	20.6
1997	503	31.8	15.8	21.1
1998	434	30.8	14.1	29.3
1999	405	28.4	14.3	34.6
2000	416	28.5	14.6	33.4
2001	448	28.0	16.0	33.9
2002	437	28.6	15.3	38.2
2003	437	28.6	15.3	38.2
2004	463	28.4	16.3	38.9
2005	448	28.6	15.7	41.5
2006	406	29.4	13.8	59.1
2007	389	27.5	14.1	33.7
2008	388	28.1	13.8	45.4
2009	351	27.7	12.7	39.6
2010	382	27.8	13.7	44.2
2011	381	27.8	13.6	48.8
2012	336	29.0	11.5	42.9
2013	487	37.3	13.0	53.2
2014	473	36.0	13.1	48.8
2015	459	36.0	12.7	49.2
2016	473	36.0	13.1	44.4
2017	484	36.0	13.4	45.7
2018	487	36.0	13.5	41.9
2019	499	36.0	13.8	49.7
2020	522	37.0	14.0	45
2021	506	36.5	13.8	n/a
2022	527	35.5	14.8	n/a
2023	526	37.0	14.1	n/a
2024	543	36.5	14.8	56.2

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 Columbia Falls Junior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	364	21.2	17.1	20.3
1991	372	20.9	17.7	19.9
1992	369	21.9	16.8	n/a
1993	414	28.8	14.4	23.7
1994	441	25.3	17.4	21.5
1995	486	28.8	16.9	20.6
1996	486	28.8	16.9	20.6
1997	503	31.8	15.8	21.1
1998	434	30.8	14.1	29.3
1999	405	28.4	14.3	34.6
2000	416	28.5	14.6	33.4
2001	448	28.0	16.0	33.9
2002	437	28.6	15.3	38.2
2003	437	28.6	15.3	38.2
2004	463	28.4	16.3	38.9
2005	448	28.6	15.7	41.5
2006	406	29.4	13.8	59.1
2007	389	27.5	14.1	33.7
2008	388	28.1	13.8	45.4
2009	351	27.7	12.7	39.6
2010	382	27.8	13.7	44.2
2011	381	27.8	13.6	48.8
2012	336	29.0	11.5	42.9
2013	487	37.3	13.0	53.2
2014	473	36.0	13.1	48.8
2015	459	36.0	12.7	49.2
2016	473	36.0	13.1	44.4
2017	484	36.0	13.4	45.7
2018	487	36.0	13.5	41.9
2019	499	36.0	13.8	49.7
2020	522	37.0	14.0	45
2021	506	36.5	13.8	n/a
2022	527	35.5	14.8	n/a
2023	526	37.0	14.1	n/a
2024	543	36.5	14.8	56.2

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 Columbia Falls Junior High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2021	$12,275
2022	$12,502
2023	$12,812

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Columbia Falls Junior High 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 60 Middle schools	Ranks 86^th of 187 Middle schools	26%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	499	526	5.4%
African American	1	1
American Indian	12	5	58.3%
Asian	3	0	100%
Hispanic	21	28	33.3%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	430	459	6.7%
Two or More Races	32	32

Schools Near Columbia Falls Junior High 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
Columbia Falls Junior High School	Public	6-8	1805 Talbot Road	Columbia Falls	59912	Flathead County	Columbia Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 892-6530	543	37	14.8	56.2%	479 (88.2%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (5.2%)	53.7	86^th of 187 public middle schools	54.0%		62.7	65^th of 190 public middle schools	65.8%	21	31.3	50.6	38.2	$12,812
Deer Park 6-8	Public	6-8	2105 Middle Road	Columbia Falls	59912	Flathead County	Deer Park Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 892-5388	46	4	13.1	6.5%	40 (87.0%)	1 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.3%)	74.6	39^th of 187 public middle schools	79.1%		87.9	17^th of 190 public middle schools	91.1%	22	36.7	66.7	50.0	$5,842
Whitefish Middle 5-8	Public	5-8	600 East Second Street	Whitefish	59937	Flathead County	Whitefish Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 862-8650	661	44	15.1	27.8%	603 (91.2%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (3.9%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.8%)	87.1	14^th of 187 public middle schools	92.5%		88	16^th of 190 public middle schools	91.6%	2	52.4	65.2	56.6	$12,202
Helena Flats 7-8	Public	7-8	1000 Helena Flats Road	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Helena Flats Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 257-2301	46	3	16.7	17.4%	42 (91.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (6.5%)	42.6	114^th of 187 public middle schools	39.0%		44.9	119^th of 190 public middle schools	37.4%	5	25.0	33.3	45.8	$10,010
Evergreen Junior High	Public	5-8	20 West Evergreen Drive	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Evergreen Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 751-1131	292	22	13.5	100.0%	245 (83.9%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.5%)	41.2	117^th of 187 public middle schools	37.4%		42.4	123^rd of 190 public middle schools	35.3%	6	31.4	37.9	34.0	$15,378
Cayuse Prairie 7-8	Public	7-8	897 Lake Blaine Road	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Cayuse Prairie Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 756-4560	47	4	13.2	34.0%	41 (87.2%)	1 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (8.5%)	71.4	48^th of 187 public middle schools	74.3%		74.6	48^th of 190 public middle schools	74.7%		45.9	49.2	50.0	$11,946
Bissell 7-8	Public	7-8	5955 Farm To Market Road	Whitefish	59937	Flathead County	Olney-Bissell Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 862-2828	18	2	10.8	44.4%	14 (77.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (16.7%)	79.4	28^th of 187 public middle schools	85.0%		26.2	151^st of 190 public middle schools	20.5%	123	41.2	64.7	54.6	$21,056
Fair-Mont-Egan Middle School	Public	6-8	797 Fairmont Road	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Fair-Mont-Egan Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 755-7072	42	5	9.3	26.2%	39 (92.9%)	1 (2.4%)	1 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.4%)	64.5	61^st of 187 public middle schools	67.4%		62.7	64^th of 190 public middle schools	66.3%	3	33.3	57.8	44.4	$10,005
Kalispell Middle School	Public	6-8	205 NW Lane	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Kalispell Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 751-3800	1,024	68	15.1	44.5%	884 (86.3%)	3 (0.3%)	50 (4.9%)	9 (0.9%)	18 (1.8%)	3 (0.3%)	57 (5.6%)	74.9	38^th of 187 public middle schools	79.7%		70.9	55^th of 190 public middle schools	71.1%	17	41.9	56.6	52.3	$11,367
West Valley Middle School	Public	5-8	2290 Farm To Market Road	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	West Valley Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 755-7239	342	20	16.9	32.5%	303 (88.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.7%)	3 (0.9%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (4.7%)	77.3	34^th of 187 public middle schools	81.8%		76.6	41^st of 190 public middle schools	78.4%	7	44.3	57.5	52.6	$7,967

Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia Falls Junior High School

What district is Columbia Falls Junior High School in?

Columbia Falls Elementary

What high school do graduates of Columbia Falls Junior High School attend?

Students who attend Columbia Falls Junior High School usually go on to attend Columbia Falls High School

What is the racial makeup of Columbia Falls Junior High School?

Students at Columbia Falls Junior High School are 88% White, 5% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

Is Columbia Falls Junior High School a good school?

Columbia Falls Junior High School ranks 86^th of 187 Montana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Columbia Falls Junior High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 543 students attended Columbia Falls Junior High School.

Rate Columbia Falls Junior High School!

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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.