The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in English language arts. The lowest is 51% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Emily Dickinson School
Emily Dickinson School is the only elementary school in Bozeman named after a poet, and it operates as a standard public elementary school within the Bozeman Elementary School District, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It sits in a residential area on the south side of the city, away from the immediate bustle of downtown or the Montana State University campus. The school is not a charter, magnet, or Title I school.
The academic picture is strong relative to other schools in the district and across Gallatin County. State testing data from the most recent year shows that more than seven out of ten students met proficiency in English language arts, a figure that climbs above the midpoint among elementary schools countywide. Math proficiency was close behind, with about two-thirds of students meeting the bar. Science proficiency landed around the halfway mark, a softer spot that a parent may want to ask the school about, especially since science is tested in a narrower grade band and the tested group is smaller. The school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint of the elementary schools in Gallatin County, placing it in the top half of the local field.
The student body is relatively small for a K-5 building in a growing city, with an enrollment that settles into a comfortable size. The demographic picture is not especially diverse: the large majority of students are white, with the next-largest groups being Hispanic students, students of two or more races, and small shares of Asian, American Indian, and Black students. A very small share of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that is low compared to many public schools nationally. Data on special education identification and English learner status were not available in the state’s public reporting, so a parent with a child who has an individualized education program or is an English learner should confirm directly with the school how those students are supported.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Discipline data, chronic absenteeism rates, and staffing ratios were also not part of the available public record, making it harder to assess the school environment on those dimensions.
A family considering this school must also consider the district’s rapid growth. Bozeman is one of the fastest-growing cities in Montana, and the Bozeman School District is building a new elementary school on the west side to relieve overcrowding. That school is scheduled to open in the near future, and the district has already redrawn attendance boundaries for several existing elementary schools. This means that a home address that currently feeds into Emily Dickinson may not do so permanently. The district approved a property tax levy to fund the new school, so homeowners in the district are paying more. A parent moving into the area should verify the current attendance boundary for Emily Dickinson and be aware that boundaries can shift as the city continues to grow.
Housing in Bozeman is expensive. Home values in the zip code are well above the national median, and rents are high. The local economy is anchored by the university, healthcare, and a growing tech sector, and the city’s outdoor recreation draw keeps demand strong. For a family that can afford the housing market, Emily Dickinson offers a solid academic foundation in a standard public school setting within a district that is actively investing in more capacity.
See more original research from School Decision →