The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Absarokee 6-8
Absarokee 6-8 is a small public middle school serving grades six through eight in Absarokee, Montana, part of the Absarokee Elem district. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with a small number of American Indian or Alaska Native students and a very small share of Hispanic students. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school’s enrollment is concentrated more heavily in eighth grade than in the other two grades, a point a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand whether this is a stable pattern or reflects movement in and out of the district.
The school’s state assessment results provide a mixed picture. In English language arts, roughly half of students met the state’s proficiency benchmark, which is a solid performance for a school of this size. In math, just over a third of students reached proficiency, a noticeably lower share. In science, about a third of students were proficient. The overall proficiency index, which averages performance across tested subjects, places Absarokee 6-8 below the midpoint relative to districts in Stillwater County. A parent may want to ask the school about its math instructional approach and what supports are available for students who are not yet meeting grade-level expectations.
No disciplinary data, staffing information, attendance figures, or course access details were available in the provided data, so a parent should inquire directly with the school about class sizes, elective offerings, and the school’s approach to behavior and student support. Because the school serves only middle grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
Absarokee itself is a small, unincorporated census-designated place in the Stillwater Valley, set in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains along Highway 78. The town began as a trading post and ranching settlement at the confluence of the Stillwater and East Rosebud Rivers. The local economy is a mix of agriculture, ranching, and mining tied to the nearby Stillwater Mine, a palladium and platinum operation. Mining families are described as more transient than the long-term farming community. Population has been declining, and as of the 2020 census it was a modest-sized community. The town is roughly two square miles with a main street, Woodard Avenue, that includes historic structures such as the Big Yellow House. It also functions as a gateway for outdoor recreation in the Beartooth Mountains and Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The area was affected by the 2022 Montana floods when the Stillwater River flooded.
No information was available from the provided data about recent district-level changes such as levies, bonds, or curriculum shifts, so a parent should check for any current developments directly with the Absarokee Elem district office.
Given the school’s small size and the rural context, Absarokee 6-8 offers a tight-knit environment where a middle-schooler will likely be well known to teachers and staff. The academic picture is one where English language arts is a relative strength, while math achievement is a softer spot worth investigating further. The community is stable but shrinking, and the local economy has a notable split between longer-term ranching families and more mobile mining families. A family considering this school would benefit from visiting and asking directly about math instruction, elective options, and how the school supports students across the three middle-grade years.
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