The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in Science. The lowest is 23% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Orchard School
Orchard School is a public elementary school in Billings, Montana, serving children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of many elementary schools in the Billings Elementary District, which covers the city and its immediate surroundings. The school enrolls roughly three hundred students, making it a modest-sized elementary school for the area. Its student body reflects the diversity of the city’s south side: slightly less than half of the students are White, with substantial representation from American Indian or Alaskan Native students and Hispanic students, alongside smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races. A very high share of families qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that the school serves a community with significant economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the reporting.
State testing results for the 2023-24 school year place Orchard School’s overall proficiency well below the midpoint when compared across Yellowstone County’s districts, ranking in the bottom quartile. In math, roughly a quarter of students in grades three through five met or exceeded state standards on the Smarter Balanced assessment. In English language arts, the share was slightly higher but still below a third. In science, about a third of tested students reached proficiency on the Montana Science Assessment. These are the most recent results available, and they reflect the school’s current academic standing. Because Orchard School serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to consider, and chronic absenteeism data was not reported.
The school is located in the city of Billings, Montana’s largest city and the primary trade and distribution center for a vast region stretching across eastern Montana and into neighboring states. Billings earned the nickname “Magic City” for its rapid growth since its founding as a railroad town, and that growth continues today, driven by its role as a regional hub for healthcare, finance, retail, and the energy industry, including the Bakken oil development to the east. The housing market in the area reflects this steady growth: home values are moderate relative to national benchmarks, and while the number of homes for sale has declined recently, demand remains strong. Rents have been rising, and the overall affordability picture is typical for a growing Western city. The city’s civic anchors include ZooMontana, the Yellowstone Art Museum, and the Moss Mansion, and the natural landscape is defined by the sandstone cliffs known as the Rims and the Yellowstone River.
The Billings Elementary district has no reported recent changes or initiatives of lasting impact, and no specific program offerings were documented for Orchard School itself. A parent looking at this school will see a neighborhood elementary school serving a diverse, high-poverty student body in a growing city. The test results are low relative to other districts in Yellowstone County, which is an important piece of information for families weighing their options. At the same time, the data does not include details on classroom supports, specialized programs, or staffing ratios, so a prospective family would benefit from visiting the school and asking directly about how the faculty and staff address the academic needs they see in their students. The school’s setting in a city that functions as a regional economic and cultural center means families have access to amenities and services that smaller Montana towns lack, though the school itself sits within an older residential area near downtown Billings. Without further information on enrichment or intervention programs, the picture is incomplete, but the available numbers make clear that Orchard School serves a community with considerable need and faces the academic challenges that often accompany high poverty.
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