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Sunburst High School

Summary:

Sunburst High School is a small public high school in Sunburst, Montana, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of around 40. Despite its small size, the school has consistently outperformed state and district averages in academic performance, ranking among the top high schools in Montana.

Sunburst High School boasts impressive test scores, with 58.33% of students proficient or better in Mathematics and an outstanding 83.33% proficient or better in Reading, far exceeding the district and state averages. The school's Science proficiency rate of 53.85% also surpasses the district and state. Sunburst High School has maintained a strong statewide ranking, reaching the top 1 out of 124 Montana high schools in the 2022-2023 school year, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school's small student-teacher ratio of 5:1 likely contributes to its academic success, allowing for personalized attention and support for students. While the school's racial diversity is limited, reflecting the demographics of the local community, its spending per student of $13,341 is higher than the national average, potentially enabling the provision of a high-quality education. Despite the school's overall strong performance, its ranking has fluctuated over the years, suggesting that factors beyond just academic achievement may influence its position among Montana's high schools.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 414 3rd St South
       Sunburst, MT  59482

(406) 937-2811

District: Sunburst K-12 Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1st of 124 Montana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $34,856 Help


Feeder schools for Sunburst High School:

Elementary:    Sunburst Elementary
Middle:    Sunburst 7 - 8

Student/teacher ratio:  7.3 Help
Number of students:  49

Racial breakdown:

White:
85.7%
American Indian:
6.1%
Hispanic:
4.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  38.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sunburst High School ranks better than 99.2% of high schools in Montana. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 91.75. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.7%), American Indian (6.1%), Hispanic (4.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 38.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sunburst High School is 7.3. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sunburst High School employs 6.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sunburst High School is $34,856.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Sunburst High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Sunburst High School 1st of 124 Montana public high schools. (See Sunburst High School in the ranking list.)

Sunburst K-12 Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Sunburst K-12 Schools 56th of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Sunburst High School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MT State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 67.31 48th 137 65.0%
2005 51.80 86th 142 39.4%
2006 61.17 56th 138 59.4%
2007 82.25 17th 136 87.5%
2009 67.80 34th 135 74.8%
2010 75.84 24th 135 82.2%
2011 72.83 26th 122 78.7%
2012 86.11 6th 129 95.3%
2013 28.63 110th 128 14.1%
2015 92.37 4th 92 95.7%
2016 86.55 7th 113 93.8%
2018 65.06 34th 119 71.4%
2021 94.80 2nd 138 98.6%
2023 91.75 1st 124 99.2%
See the entire list of Montana High School Rankings!

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

Sunburst High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    



Data source: Montana Office of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Sunburst High School

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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 84 84
1991 80 0 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 82
1992 93 0 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 94
1993 89 0 0 0 5 n/a n/a 0 94
1994 102 0 0 0 4 n/a n/a 0 106
1995 91 0 0 0 5 n/a n/a 0 96
1996 91 0 0 0 5 n/a n/a 0 96
1997 90 0 1 0 3 n/a n/a 0 94
1998 82 0 1 0 6 n/a n/a 0 89
1999 84 0 2 0 4 n/a n/a 0 90
2000 89 0 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 90
2001 77 0 1 3 2 n/a n/a 0 83
2002 81 0 0 1 4 n/a n/a 0 86
2003 81 0 0 1 4 n/a n/a 0 86
2004 80 0 0 1 5 n/a n/a 0 86
2005 81 0 0 2 6 n/a n/a 0 89
2006 69 0 4 1 2 n/a n/a 0 76
2007 65 0 2 3 1 n/a n/a 0 71
2008 56 0 1 1 1 n/a n/a 0 59
2009 65 0 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 66
2010 57 0 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 58
2011 63 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 66
2012 67 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 69
2013 70 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 72
2014 68 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 70
2015 53 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 54
2016 54 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 58
2017 45 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 48
2018 49 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 54
2019 53 1 0 2 2 0 2 0 60
2020 39 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 41
2021 44 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 46
2022 34 0 0 1 2 0 2 0 39
2023 35 0 0 2 3 0 0 0 40
2024 42 0 1 2 3 0 1 0 49

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 Sunburst High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 84 13.0 6.4 16.7
1991 82 7.8 10.5 9.8
1992 94 8.6 10.9 20.2
1993 94 11.0 8.5 11.7
1994 106 10.1 10.5 11.3
1995 96 10.9 8.8 10.4
1996 96 10.9 8.8 10.4
1997 94 10.4 9.0 19.1
1998 89 9.6 9.3 13.5
1999 90 8.5 10.6 21.1
2000 90 9.1 9.9 20
2001 83 9.0 9.2 14.5
2002 86 9.6 9.0 16.3
2003 86 9.6 9.0 16.3
2004 86 8.6 10.0 20.9
2005 89 9.4 9.5 23.6
2006 76 9.4 8.1 23.7
2007 71 9.5 7.5 25.4
2008 59 8.8 6.7 16.9
2009 66 9.1 7.3 16.7
2010 58 8.8 6.5 25.9
2011 66 9.5 6.9 25.8
2012 69 10.1 6.8 13
2013 72 10.0 7.1 18.1
2014 70 9.9 7.0 12.9
2015 54 9.0 6.0 18.5
2016 58 8.0 7.2 24.1
2017 48 8.1 5.9 16.7
2018 54 6.7 8.0 31.5
2019 60 6.9 8.5 23.3
2020 41 6.6 6.1 19.5
2021 46 5.6 8.0 n/a
2022 39 7.1 5.4 n/a
2023 40 7.9 5.0 n/a
2024 49 6.6 7.3 38.8

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 Sunburst High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 84 13.0 6.4 16.7
1991 82 7.8 10.5 9.8
1992 94 8.6 10.9 20.2
1993 94 11.0 8.5 11.7
1994 106 10.1 10.5 11.3
1995 96 10.9 8.8 10.4
1996 96 10.9 8.8 10.4
1997 94 10.4 9.0 19.1
1998 89 9.6 9.3 13.5
1999 90 8.5 10.6 21.1
2000 90 9.1 9.9 20
2001 83 9.0 9.2 14.5
2002 86 9.6 9.0 16.3
2003 86 9.6 9.0 16.3
2004 86 8.6 10.0 20.9
2005 89 9.4 9.5 23.6
2006 76 9.4 8.1 23.7
2007 71 9.5 7.5 25.4
2008 59 8.8 6.7 16.9
2009 66 9.1 7.3 16.7
2010 58 8.8 6.5 25.9
2011 66 9.5 6.9 25.8
2012 69 10.1 6.8 13
2013 72 10.0 7.1 18.1
2014 70 9.9 7.0 12.9
2015 54 9.0 6.0 18.5
2016 58 8.0 7.2 24.1
2017 48 8.1 5.9 16.7
2018 54 6.7 8.0 31.5
2019 60 6.9 8.5 23.3
2020 41 6.6 6.1 19.5
2021 46 5.6 8.0 n/a
2022 39 7.1 5.4 n/a
2023 40 7.9 5.0 n/a
2024 49 6.6 7.3 38.8

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 Sunburst High School

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $13,341
2021 $23,296
2022 $31,734
2023 $34,856

Data source: Montana Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sunburst 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.

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students6040
 33.3%
African American10
 100%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian00
Hispanic22
Pacific Islander00
White5335
 34%
Two or More Races20
 100%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Sunburst High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 49 students attended Sunburst High School.

Yes! Sunburst High School is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 1st of 124 Montana high schools.

Sunburst High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Sunburst Elementary
Middle : Sunburst 7 - 8

Students at Sunburst High School are 86% White, 6% American Indian, 4% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.


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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.




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