The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in English language arts. The lowest is 27% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lewis & Clark Middle School
Lewis & Clark Middle School serves sixth through eighth graders in Billings, Montana, within the Billings Elem district. It is a conventional public middle school, not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status is not reported. The school enrolls a sizable student body for a middle school, with a student population that is predominantly white, alongside notable shares of American Indian or Alaska Native students, students of two or more races, and Hispanic students. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the economic diversity in the attendance zone.
Academically, state testing results place Lewis & Clark in a tough spot. On the Smarter Balanced assessments, proficiency rates in math and English language arts are below the midpoint among Yellowstone County’s districts, and the overall proficiency index lands in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in the county. In math, roughly a quarter of students scored at the proficient level or above on state tests. In English language arts, about two in five students reached that mark. Science results, from the Montana Science Assessment, show a similar pattern, with roughly a third of tested students proficient. These figures suggest that many students are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks, and a family considering this school may want to ask how the school supports students who are below proficient and what interventions or instructional changes are underway.
The school environment reflects the broader Billings community. Billings functions as a major trade and distribution center for a multi-state region, with a strong economy driven by healthcare, finance, retail, and energy services. The city has grown rapidly since its railroad-era founding, earning the nickname “Magic City,” and that growth continues today. The housing market in the area around the school shows moderately priced homes relative to national figures, though home values and rents have been rising, and inventory is tight. For families moving into the area, this means a competitive market, especially for single-family homes. The school itself sits in a residential part of Billings; the locale brief did not provide detailed walkability or transit information, but the city has an airport and serves as the county seat.
No program offerings were reported for Lewis & Clark Middle School, so there is no public data on electives, career and technical education courses, or advanced coursework at the middle school level. That is a gap a parent would want to fill by visiting the school’s website or calling the office. Similarly, information on discipline, staffing ratios, and chronic absenteeism is absent from the available data. The district brief turned up no recent major changes or initiatives, so the school appears to be operating under the district’s established routines.
What a parent or resident gets from this picture is a mid-sized public middle school in a growing regional city, serving a diverse but majority-white student body with a substantial share of low-income families. The academic results are a clear soft spot: proficiency in core subjects falls behind many peer districts in Yellowstone County. A family that values strong test scores as a signal of academic rigor might find this school concerning and should investigate what academic support structures and enrichment opportunities exist. For a family that is comfortable with a school that mirrors the community’s demographics and economic mix, and that is willing to engage with the school on academics, Lewis & Clark could be a viable option, but the testing data warrants a closer look. The surrounding Billings region offers amenities of a sizable hub, but the school’s own academic pathway, as measured by state assessments, is below the county average, and that is the central fact a parent would need to weigh.
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