Ruder Elementary

Q: Is Ruder Elementary a good school?

Ruder Elementary ranks 135 th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ruder Elementary is a public elementary school located in Columbia Falls, Montana, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 563 students. 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.

Ruder Elementary consistently outperforms its district and the state of Montana in proficiency rates for Mathematics, Reading, and Science on the Montana State Tests. In the 2022-2023 school year, the school had 43.69% of students proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 34.41% for the district and 36.59% for the state. In Reading, Ruder Elementary had 46.42% of students proficient or better, compared to 46.13% for the district and 46.03% for the state. The school also had 40.4% of students proficient or better in Science, compared to 35.76% for the district and 37.03% for the state. Ruder Elementary has consistently ranked in the top half of Montana elementary schools, with a ranking of 135 out of 332 schools in the 2022-2023 school year.

Compared to nearby schools, Ruder Elementary has a slightly more diverse student population, with 88.28% of students identifying as white, 4.8% as Hispanic, and 5.86% as two or more races. However, the school does not provide data on the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, making it difficult to assess the socioeconomic diversity of the student population. Nearby schools like Fair-Mont-Egan School and Bissell School also demonstrate strong academic performance, with higher proficiency rates in Mathematics and Reading than Ruder Elementary.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1500 12th Avenue West
Columbia Falls, MT 59912

(406) 892-6570

District: Columbia Falls Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
135^th of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,107

Students who attend Ruder Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Columbia Falls Junior High School
High:	Columbia Falls High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.7

Number of students: 546

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.4%

Two or more races:

9.2%

Hispanic:

5.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 62.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ruder Elementary ranks better than 59.3% of elementary schools in Montana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.49. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84.4%), two or more races (9.2%), Hispanic (5.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 62.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ruder Elementary is 14.7. (See more...)

Compare Ruder Elementary employs 37 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ruder Elementary is $11,107.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Columbia Falls Elementary:

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

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Rank History for Ruder Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	21.96	185^th	217	14.7%
2005	39.94	151^st	218	30.7%
2006	37.19	179^th	234	23.5%
2007	36.04	187^th	230	18.7%
2008	44.70	131^st	194	32.5%
2009	39.04	146^th	190	23.2%
2010	49.12	151^st	241	37.3%
2011	66.27	80^th	247	67.6%
2012	66.83	69^th	244	71.7%
2013	57.86	116^th	246	52.8%
2015	77.78	66^th	287	77.0%
2016	74.39	50^th	191	73.8%
2017	70.94	26^th	109	76.1%
2018	81.54	14^th	116	87.9%
2019	62.63	46^th	123	62.6%
2021	65.01	138^th	356	61.2%
2022	57.74	160^th	329	51.4%
2023	61.49	135^th	332	59.3%

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 Ruder 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	168	168
1991	417	0	4	2	24	n/a	n/a	0	447
1992	409	1	5	4	28	n/a	n/a	0	447
1993	391	1	6	5	17	n/a	n/a	0	420
1994	360	0	8	2	17	n/a	n/a	0	387
1995	423	0	5	0	7	n/a	n/a	0	435
1996	423	0	5	0	7	n/a	n/a	0	435
1997	500	4	11	6	18	n/a	n/a	0	539
1998	457	3	7	15	16	n/a	n/a	0	498
1999	445	2	6	15	25	n/a	n/a	0	493
2000	487	2	5	6	9	n/a	n/a	0	509
2001	477	7	8	6	16	n/a	n/a	0	514
2002	465	7	2	2	7	n/a	n/a	0	483
2003	465	7	2	2	7	n/a	n/a	0	483
2004	467	7	1	2	6	n/a	n/a	0	483
2005	449	7	4	5	7	n/a	n/a	0	472
2006	462	3	4	7	3	n/a	n/a	0	479
2007	466	4	5	8	7	n/a	n/a	0	490
2008	447	1	4	8	5	n/a	n/a	0	465
2009	421	4	4	9	10	n/a	n/a	0	448
2010	407	3	3	10	8	n/a	n/a	0	431
2011	396	2	1	12	3	0	20	0	434
2012	380	0	1	10	6	2	26	0	425
2013	400	0	1	15	8	0	27	0	451
2014	407	0	1	17	6	1	22	0	454
2015	423	0	0	10	5	1	28	0	467
2016	408	0	0	12	5	1	28	0	454
2017	407	1	0	10	5	1	41	0	465
2018	411	1	0	11	5	1	29	0	458
2019	410	2	0	14	4	1	32	0	463
2020	420	4	0	13	3	1	35	0	476
2021	394	3	0	19	3	1	38	0	458
2022	461	2	0	18	6	1	34	0	522
2023	497	1	0	27	4	1	33	0	563
2024	461	0	0	31	3	1	50	0	546

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 Ruder Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	168	9.0	18.6	20.2
1991	447	18.7	23.9	26.6
1992	447	16.5	27.0	64.4
1993	420	20.3	20.7	21.2
1994	387	19.3	20.1	20.9
1995	435	21.8	20.0	19.8
1996	435	21.8	20.0	19.8
1997	539	26.0	20.7	23.7
1998	498	24.0	20.8	27.9
1999	493	24.0	20.5	39.4
2000	509	27.5	18.5	43.4
2001	514	28.0	18.4	41.6
2002	483	23.0	21.0	34.6
2003	483	23.0	21.0	34.6
2004	483	25.0	19.3	40
2005	472	25.0	18.9	35.8
2006	479	25.2	19.0	38.2
2007	490	26.3	18.6	33.7
2008	465	26.0	17.9	44.1
2009	448	26.2	17.1	35
2010	431	25.2	17.1	44.1
2011	434	25.5	17.0	47.9
2012	425	27.8	15.2	45.6
2013	451	27.8	16.2	50.6
2014	454	27.0	16.8	47.4
2015	467	28.0	16.6	50.7
2016	454	28.0	16.2	42.5
2017	465	28.7	16.1	43.4
2018	458	27.4	16.7	42.8
2019	463	29.0	15.9	48.2
2020	476	29.0	16.4	40.5
2021	458	30.0	15.2	n/a
2022	522	32.0	16.3	n/a
2023	563	35.0	16.0	n/a
2024	546	37.0	14.7	62.5

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 Ruder Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	168	9.0	18.6	20.2
1991	447	18.7	23.9	26.6
1992	447	16.5	27.0	64.4
1993	420	20.3	20.7	21.2
1994	387	19.3	20.1	20.9
1995	435	21.8	20.0	19.8
1996	435	21.8	20.0	19.8
1997	539	26.0	20.7	23.7
1998	498	24.0	20.8	27.9
1999	493	24.0	20.5	39.4
2000	509	27.5	18.5	43.4
2001	514	28.0	18.4	41.6
2002	483	23.0	21.0	34.6
2003	483	23.0	21.0	34.6
2004	483	25.0	19.3	40
2005	472	25.0	18.9	35.8
2006	479	25.2	19.0	38.2
2007	490	26.3	18.6	33.7
2008	465	26.0	17.9	44.1
2009	448	26.2	17.1	35
2010	431	25.2	17.1	44.1
2011	434	25.5	17.0	47.9
2012	425	27.8	15.2	45.6
2013	451	27.8	16.2	50.6
2014	454	27.0	16.8	47.4
2015	467	28.0	16.6	50.7
2016	454	28.0	16.2	42.5
2017	465	28.7	16.1	43.4
2018	458	27.4	16.7	42.8
2019	463	29.0	15.9	48.2
2020	476	29.0	16.4	40.5
2021	458	30.0	15.2	n/a
2022	522	32.0	16.3	n/a
2023	563	35.0	16.0	n/a
2024	546	37.0	14.7	62.5

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 Ruder Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,838
2021	$11,267
2022	$11,122
2023	$11,107

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ruder 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 46^th of 123 Elementary schools	Ranks 135^th of 332 Elementary schools	3.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	463	563	21.6%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	4	4
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	14	27	92.9%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	410	497	21.2%
Two or More Races	32	33	3.1%

Schools Near Ruder 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
Ruder Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1500 12th Avenue West	Columbia Falls	59912	Flathead County	Columbia Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 892-6570	546	37	14.7	62.5%	461 (84.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	50 (9.2%)	61.5	135^th of 332 public elementary schools	59.3%		57.7	160^th of 329 public elementary schools	51.4%	25	43.7	46.4	40.4	$11,107
Glacier Gateway Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	440 4th Avenue West	Columbia Falls	59912	Flathead County	Columbia Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 892-6540	496	34	14.8	69.4%	416 (83.9%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.3%)	32.4	250^th of 332 public elementary schools	24.7%		33.3	257^th of 329 public elementary schools	21.9%	7	29.8	36.3	25.0	$12,615
Deer Park School	Public	PK, KG-5	2105 Middle Road	Columbia Falls	59912	Flathead County	Deer Park Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 892-5388	125	10	13.1	2.4%	119 (95.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	85.6	45^th of 332 public elementary schools	86.4%		94.4	18^th of 329 public elementary schools	94.5%	27	52.9	64.7	52.9	$9,286
L A Muldown School	Public	PK, KG-4	1300 East 7th St.	Whitefish	59937	Flathead County	Whitefish Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 862-8620	672	48	14.1	28.7%	602 (89.6%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (5.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.1%)	94.3	15^th of 332 public elementary schools	95.5%		81.4	73^rd of 329 public elementary schools	77.8%	58	68.9	68.3		$12,426
Helena Flats School	Public	PK, KG-6	1000 Helena Flats Road	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Helena Flats Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 257-2301	240	16	15.2	18.8%	221 (92.1%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.5%)	5 (2.1%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	54.4	169^th of 332 public elementary schools	49.1%		35.5	250^th of 329 public elementary schools	24.0%	81	30.0	50.0	40.9	$8,998
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
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
Edgerton School	Public	PK, KG-5	1400 Whitefish Stage	Kalispell	59901	Flathead County	Kalispell Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 751-4040	509	29	17.5	30.5%	443 (87.0%)	5 (1.0%)	23 (4.5%)	5 (1.0%)	6 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.3%)	81.7	57^th of 332 public elementary schools	82.8%		88.8	36^th of 329 public elementary schools	89.1%	21	56.1	54.0	53.9	$10,761
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
Bissell School	Public	PK, KG-6	5955 Farm To Market Road	Whitefish	59937	Flathead County	Olney-Bissell Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 862-2828	74	9	8.4	52.7%	66 (89.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.1%)	3 (4.1%)	70.2	100^th of 332 public elementary schools	69.9%		70.9	114^th of 329 public elementary schools	65.3%	14	45.7	52.2		$11,509

Frequently Asked Questions about Ruder Elementary

Is Ruder Elementary a good school?

Ruder Elementary ranks 135^th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Ruder Elementary in?

Columbia Falls Elementary

How many students attend Ruder Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 546 students attended Ruder Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Ruder Elementary attend?

Students who attend Ruder Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Columbia Falls Junior High School
High : Columbia Falls High School

What is the racial makeup of Ruder Elementary?

Students at Ruder Elementary are 84% White, 9% Two or more races, 6% 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.