The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in Science. The lowest is 0% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Meadowlark School
Meadowlark School is an elementary school in Billings, Montana, serving students from preschool through fifth grade. It is part of the Billings Elem district. The school’s student body is large for an elementary school, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across the early grades and a notably sizeable preschool program. The student population is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who are American Indian or Alaska Native, two or more races, Hispanic, Asian, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, a composition that reflects the broader region. A relatively modest share of students at Meadowlark qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common measure of household economic need; for context, the share is below what is typical in the district and the state, suggesting a somewhat more affluent enrolled population.
Academically, the picture is mixed and requires some parsing because of the grades tested. Meadowlark serves grades three, four, and five, which are tested in Montana, but the state testing data from the most recent year shows no proficiency rates reported for math or English language arts. The data indicates that zero students were counted as tested in those subjects, which is unusual and may reflect a data-reporting issue at the school or state level. A parent may want to follow up directly with the school or the Billings Elem district to clarify which students took the assessments and what the results were. Science testing, using the Montana Science Assessment, did return results: roughly half of the students tested in science scored at or above the proficient level. That outcome places the school’s science performance around the middle of the pack compared to other schools statewide. When considering overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s index falls in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Yellowstone County. That figure is heavily weighted by the absence of math and reading data, so it is not a straightforward read of the school’s academic strength.
The school’s setting in Billings is important context. Billings functions as the primary trade, distribution, medical, finance, and retail hub for a large region spanning much of eastern Montana, northern Wyoming, and western portions of the Dakotas. It was founded as a railroad town and has experienced sustained rapid growth, earning the nickname “Magic City.” The city continues to grow, and its economy is supported by its role as a service hub for energy development in the region. Housing values in the school's area are above the national median, and the local rental market carries a premium that makes renting more expensive than a typical mortgage payment, a dynamic that may shape who can afford to live in the attendance zone. The area’s economic context includes a mortgage rate that has been hovering in the mid-single digits and a national unemployment rate that is low, consistent with a generally healthy, if competitive, housing market.
What is not available in the data matters as much as what is. There is no information on the school’s discipline rates, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism, all factors that can signal how a school supports its students day to day. There is no data on the number of students with Individualized Education Programs or English learner status, so it is not possible to assess the school’s special education or language support infrastructure from this record. The school’s Title I status, which would indicate whether it receives federal funding to support low-income students, is also absent. A parent or resident looking for a full picture of the school’s academic pathways, student support, and school climate would need to pursue those questions directly with the school.
For whom does Meadowlark fit? The school’s large size and broad grade span, from preschool through fifth grade, mean it can serve families who want their child in the same building for many years. The student body is demographically less diverse than the surrounding county, and the relatively low share of students on free or reduced-price lunch suggests a more economically homogenous peer environment than many public elementary schools. The absence of clear testing data in core subjects means a family should seek out more recent or complete assessment information to gauge academic performance. The school sits within a growing, economically active city with a tight housing market, so families considering a move to the attendance zone should factor in the cost of housing. At its most basic, this is a large elementary school in a regional hub city, where the academic record has a significant gap in the available state test results.
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