The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Science. The lowest is 0% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Anderson School
Anderson School is a public elementary school serving preschool through sixth grade in Bozeman, Montana. It is the sole school within the Anderson Elem district, a district that itself has no other campuses, making the school essentially the entire district operation. The school sits at a Cottonwood Road address west of the downtown core, in a part of Bozeman that blends residential neighborhoods with the broader Gallatin Valley landscape.
The student body at Anderson School is small and predominantly white, with a very modest share of students identifying as Hispanic or as two or more races. Asian, Black, and American Indian or Alaska Native students each represent a tiny fraction of the enrollment. State testing data for math and English language arts is effectively not available for this school. While the state reported zero students tested in those subjects, it is important to note that the school serves early and middle grades, and a zero-tested count at a small school can reflect a variety of administrative reporting circumstances rather than a direct measure of student performance. Science testing did occur, and the results show that a substantial majority of tested students met state proficiency standards on the Montana Science Assessment, a solid outcome for that subject in the school’s only reported state assessment.
Because Anderson School does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to consider. The school’s profile within Gallatin County, based on the comparison of overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades, places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in the county. This comparison should be read with caution given the very limited testing data reported for the school; the metric relies on the one subject where results are available, and the county includes many larger districts that test more students across more grades.
Bozeman itself is a fast-growing city that has transformed from a small agricultural town into a regional hub, anchored by Montana State University and a growing high-tech sector. Housing values in the area are elevated, with home prices well above the national benchmark, and rents are also high, reflecting the intense demand that comes with the university presence and the city’s outdoor-recreation appeal. The housing market has seen some cooling recently, with price growth flattening, but affordability remains a challenge for many families. The city’s downtown is walkable and features local shops and restaurants, but most of the residential areas outside the core are car-dependent. Public transit use is low, and the city is managing steady construction and infrastructure investment as it grows.
The district itself had no publicly reported recent changes in curriculum, pedagogy, property taxes, or referendums. A 2023 National Blue Ribbon recognition was noted in the search, but no other lasting changes were found. For a parent considering Anderson School, the key facts are that it is a small, single-school district with a largely white student body, a limited data picture from state testing, and a science proficiency result that is positive. The broader Bozeman context is one of growth, high housing costs, and a university-driven economy. A parent may want to ask the school directly about its approach to math and reading instruction, since state assessment results for those subjects are not available in the public data, and to confirm how the school supports students across its full grade span.
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