Sunnyside School

Q: Is Sunnyside School a good school?

Sunnyside School ranks 236 th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Sunnyside School is an elementary school in Great Falls, Montana, serving grades PK-6 with a total enrollment of 423 students. While the school is part of the Great Falls Elementary District, which is ranked 162 out of 300 districts in the state, Sunnyside School itself faces some academic challenges.

One of the key differentiators of Sunnyside School is its diverse student population, with a racial makeup that is more varied than some nearby schools like Meadow Lark and Chief Joseph. However, Sunnyside School's academic performance, as measured by state test scores, is generally lower than the district and state averages. In the 2022-2023 school year, only 31.51% of Sunnyside students were proficient or better in Mathematics, 34.55% in Reading, and 31.03% in Science, compared to the district averages of 35.13%, 43.92%, and 41.42%, respectively. This has contributed to Sunnyside School's statewide ranking of 236 out of 332 Montana elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Sunnyside School's performance is lower than the district and state, there are some nearby schools, such as Whittier School and Longfellow School, that have even lower proficiency rates in Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Additionally, Sunnyside School has a relatively high student-teacher ratio of 16.5 students per teacher, which is higher than some of the nearby schools. These factors, combined with the school's declining test scores over the years, suggest that Sunnyside School may need to address certain areas to improve the educational outcomes for its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

1800 19th Street South
Great Falls, MT 59405

(406) 268-7115

District: Great Falls Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
236^th of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,129

Students who attend Sunnyside School usually attend:

Middle:	East Middle School
High:	Great Falls High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.6

Number of students: 406

Racial breakdown:

White:

60.6%

Two or more races:

17.0%

Hispanic:

11.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 83%

See top rated Montana elementary schools

Compare Sunnyside School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Sunnyside School ranks worse than 71.1% of elementary schools in Montana. It also ranks 11^th among 15 ranked elementary schools in the Great Falls Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.71. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (60.6%), two or more races (17%), Hispanic (11.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 83% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sunnyside School is 17.6. 10 elementary schools in the Great Falls Elementary School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Sunnyside School employs 23 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sunnyside School is $11,129. 10 elementary schools in the Great Falls Elementary School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Great Falls Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Great Falls Elementary 162^nd of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Sunnyside School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	80.80	36^th	217	83.4%
2005	85.87	21^st	218	90.4%
2006	71.85	45^th	234	80.8%
2007	80.89	12^th	230	94.8%
2010	62.08	90^th	241	62.7%
2011	64.24	92^nd	247	62.8%
2012	70.03	55^th	244	77.5%
2013	70.89	57^th	246	76.8%
2015	74.59	80^th	287	72.1%
2016	62.14	68^th	191	64.4%
2017	49.05	60^th	109	45.0%
2018	52.37	57^th	116	50.9%
2019	53.44	60^th	123	51.2%
2021	57.07	177^th	356	50.3%
2022	55.83	168^th	329	48.9%
2023	36.71	236^th	332	28.9%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Sunnyside 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	407	407
1991	381	3	3	2	25	n/a	n/a	0	414
1992	372	9	6	2	27	n/a	n/a	0	416
1993	379	5	4	3	32	n/a	n/a	0	423
1994	364	3	3	2	40	n/a	n/a	0	412
1995	351	31	7	2	24	n/a	n/a	0	415
1996	351	31	7	2	24	n/a	n/a	0	415
1997	373	3	1	4	27	n/a	n/a	0	408
1998	340	3	5	8	40	n/a	n/a	0	396
1999	350	6	3	5	38	n/a	n/a	0	402
2000	320	4	6	6	36	n/a	n/a	0	372
2001	340	2	4	1	19	n/a	n/a	0	366
2002	333	4	4	1	14	n/a	n/a	0	356
2003	333	4	4	1	14	n/a	n/a	0	356
2004	327	11	6	2	13	n/a	n/a	0	359
2005	276	10	4	10	37	n/a	n/a	0	337
2006	320	13	7	12	58	n/a	n/a	0	410
2007	315	16	9	10	68	n/a	n/a	0	418
2008	339	10	5	10	62	n/a	n/a	0	426
2009	315	13	6	6	77	n/a	n/a	0	417
2010	319	18	10	9	63	n/a	n/a	0	419
2011	330	25	11	12	60	6	1	0	445
2012	324	23	8	12	71	6	0	0	444
2013	335	21	6	12	61	5	12	0	452
2014	345	16	3	11	59	4	21	0	459
2015	342	14	4	19	47	3	27	0	456
2016	337	14	4	18	37	2	36	0	448
2017	327	14	2	20	48	2	41	0	454
2018	320	7	2	20	48	1	43	0	441
2019	304	6	4	22	45	0	44	0	425
2020	275	5	5	31	41	0	42	0	399
2021	255	5	5	27	35	0	46	0	373
2022	258	6	3	32	44	0	58	0	401
2023	261	9	2	46	44	0	61	0	423
2024	246	6	1	46	38	0	69	0	406

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 Sunnyside School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	407	20.3	20.0	18.9
1991	414	17.2	24.0	17.4
1992	416	15.5	26.8	23.3
1993	423	19.2	22.0	24.8
1994	412	18.8	21.9	27.2
1995	415	20.8	20.0	34.5
1996	415	20.8	20.0	34.5
1997	408	20.7	19.7	36.3
1998	396	20.8	19.0	36.9
1999	402	21.8	18.4	49.3
2000	372	21.4	17.4	50.8
2001	366	22.0	16.6	45.9
2002	356	23.7	15.0	47.5
2003	356	23.7	15.0	47.5
2004	359	24.2	14.8	52.6
2005	337	25.0	13.5	50.7
2006	410	25.1	16.3	50.5
2007	418	26.2	16.0	47.4
2008	426	26.2	16.3	50.5
2009	417	26.7	15.6	52.5
2010	419	27.6	15.1	59.4
2011	445	28.7	15.4	57.5
2012	444	28.1	15.7	60.1
2013	452	29.5	15.3	66.8
2014	459	27.4	16.7	69.9
2015	456	30.0	15.2	65.6
2016	448	27.0	16.5	64.7
2017	454	27.3	16.6	68.5
2018	441	27.3	16.1	100
2019	425	25.6	16.5	45.9
2020	399	25.6	15.5	50.1
2021	373	24.5	15.2	n/a
2022	401	26.0	15.4	n/a
2023	423	25.5	16.5	n/a
2024	406	23.0	17.6	83

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 Sunnyside School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	407	20.3	20.0	18.9
1991	414	17.2	24.0	17.4
1992	416	15.5	26.8	23.3
1993	423	19.2	22.0	24.8
1994	412	18.8	21.9	27.2
1995	415	20.8	20.0	34.5
1996	415	20.8	20.0	34.5
1997	408	20.7	19.7	36.3
1998	396	20.8	19.0	36.9
1999	402	21.8	18.4	49.3
2000	372	21.4	17.4	50.8
2001	366	22.0	16.6	45.9
2002	356	23.7	15.0	47.5
2003	356	23.7	15.0	47.5
2004	359	24.2	14.8	52.6
2005	337	25.0	13.5	50.7
2006	410	25.1	16.3	50.5
2007	418	26.2	16.0	47.4
2008	426	26.2	16.3	50.5
2009	417	26.7	15.6	52.5
2010	419	27.6	15.1	59.4
2011	445	28.7	15.4	57.5
2012	444	28.1	15.7	60.1
2013	452	29.5	15.3	66.8
2014	459	27.4	16.7	69.9
2015	456	30.0	15.2	65.6
2016	448	27.0	16.5	64.7
2017	454	27.3	16.6	68.5
2018	441	27.3	16.1	100
2019	425	25.6	16.5	45.9
2020	399	25.6	15.5	50.1
2021	373	24.5	15.2	n/a
2022	401	26.0	15.4	n/a
2023	423	25.5	16.5	n/a
2024	406	23.0	17.6	83

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 Sunnyside School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$8,058
2021	$11,150
2022	$11,944
2023	$11,129

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sunnyside 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 60^th of 123 Elementary schools	Ranks 236^th of 332 Elementary schools	22.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	425	423	0.5%
African American	6	9	50%
American Indian	45	44	2.2%
Asian	4	2	50%
Hispanic	22	46	109.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	304	261	14.1%
Two or More Races	44	61	38.6%

Schools Near Sunnyside 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
Sunnyside School	Public	PK, KG-6	1800 19th Street South	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-7115	406	23	17.6	83.0%	246 (60.6%)	6 (1.5%)	46 (11.3%)	1 (0.2%)	38 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (17.0%)	36.7	236^th of 332 public elementary schools	28.9%		55.8	168^th of 329 public elementary schools	48.9%	68	31.5	34.6	31.0	$11,129
Lincoln School	Public	PK, KG-6	624 27th Street South	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 268-6800	384	21	18.3	56.8%	283 (73.7%)	2 (0.5%)	25 (6.5%)	3 (0.8%)	22 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (12.8%)	62.1	130^th of 332 public elementary schools	60.8%		71.6	108^th of 329 public elementary schools	67.2%	22	39.8	47.6	43.6	$11,757
Longfellow School	Public	PK, KG-6	1100 6th Ave So	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-6845	316	22	14.2	98.7%	132 (41.8%)	7 (2.2%)	41 (13.0%)	1 (0.3%)	75 (23.7%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (19.0%)	8.8	306^th of 332 public elementary schools	7.8%		9	309^th of 329 public elementary schools	6.1%	3	10.4	17.4	16.1	$12,979
Mountain View School	Public	PK, KG-6	3420 15th Avenue South	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-7305	330	30	11.0	91.8%	213 (64.5%)	2 (0.6%)	24 (7.3%)	2 (0.6%)	41 (12.4%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (14.5%)	35.5	241^st of 332 public elementary schools	27.4%		31.4	261^st of 329 public elementary schools	20.7%	20	27.4	37.1	31.1	$13,489
Whittier School	Public	PK, KG-6	305 8th Street North	Great Falls	59401	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-7230	189	20	9.4	99.5%	68 (36.0%)	1 (0.5%)	17 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (30.2%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (24.3%)	10.5	304^th of 332 public elementary schools	8.4%		21.8	281^st of 329 public elementary schools	14.6%	23	11.9	11.1	21.2	$14,992
Giant Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	520 32nd Street North	Great Falls	59401	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-7045	439	26	16.6	83.6%	317 (72.2%)	4 (0.9%)	27 (6.2%)	2 (0.5%)	28 (6.4%)	1 (0.2%)	60 (13.7%)	49	192^nd of 332 public elementary schools	42.2%		52	188^th of 329 public elementary schools	42.9%	4	28.9	41.7	42.9	$10,355
Lewis & Clark School	Public	PK, KG-6	3800 1st Avenue South	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-6705	326	19	17.1	59.8%	245 (75.2%)	1 (0.3%)	39 (12.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (9.2%)	39.9	227^th of 332 public elementary schools	31.6%		49.7	200^th of 329 public elementary schools	39.2%	27	30.3	38.5	32.8	$11,811
MT School For Deaf & Blnd Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	3911 Central Ave	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Mont School for Deaf Blind	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 771-6017	19	10	1.9	100.0%	15 (78.9%)	1 (5.3%)	1 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.3%)								(n/a)
Meadow Lark School	Public	PK, KG-6	2204 Fox Farm Road	Great Falls	59404	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 268-7300	531	24	21.6	17.7%	450 (84.7%)	3 (0.6%)	34 (6.4%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (6.4%)	94.8	12^th of 332 public elementary schools	96.4%		95.5	17^th of 329 public elementary schools	94.8%	5	61.4	68.5	79.3	$10,171
Morningside School	Public	PK, KG-6	4119 7th Avenue North	Great Falls	59405	Cascade County	Great Falls Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 268-6960	204	15	13.7	63.7%	138 (67.6%)	1 (0.5%)	19 (9.3%)	1 (0.5%)	15 (7.4%)	1 (0.5%)	29 (14.2%)	51.3	185^th of 332 public elementary schools	44.3%		58.8	153^rd of 329 public elementary schools	53.5%	32	32.8	41.0	42.9	$14,155

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunnyside School

What is the racial makeup of Sunnyside School?

Students at Sunnyside School are 61% White, 17% Two or more races, 11% Hispanic, 9% American Indian, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Sunnyside School attend?

Students who attend Sunnyside School usually go on to attend:

Middle : East Middle School
High : Great Falls High School

Is Sunnyside School a good school?

Sunnyside School ranks 236^th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What district is Sunnyside School in?

Great Falls Elementary

How many students attend Sunnyside School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 406 students attended Sunnyside School.

Rate Sunnyside 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.