The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in Math. The lowest is 56% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Desmet School
DeSmet School is a small elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Missoula, Montana. It sits within its own single-school district, DeSmet Elementary, and draws its students from a predominantly residential area in the city. With an enrollment of about ninety children, the school is one of the smaller public elementary options in the region. The student body is predominantly white, with small shares of Asian students, students of two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native students, and Hispanic students. Every student at DeSmet qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which places the school in a high-poverty category, though the school’s Title I status was not reported in the available data.
Academically, DeSmet shows a notably uneven picture that may reflect both the school’s strengths and the challenges it faces. On the Smarter Balanced Assessment, math proficiency was strong, landing well above the typical level for schools serving similar populations. English language arts proficiency was more moderate, with roughly half of students meeting the state standard. Science results were comparable to ELA but were based on a very small group of test takers, so they offer a less reliable read. When the school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades is stacked against other districts in Missoula County, DeSmet ranks in the top quarter. That is a meaningful achievement for a school where all children come from low-income households, and it suggests that instruction in math, in particular, is effective.
Still, the moderate ELA results are a soft spot a parent would want to explore. The data does not include breakdowns by student group, so it is not possible to see how different populations performed, nor does it report special education or English learner counts. The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate or college-going data to consider. Chronic absenteeism and discipline data were also missing. A parent considering DeSmet may want to ask the school directly about how it supports reading and writing development, and about the kind of programming available for students who need extra help.
The school’s setting is Missoula, a mid-sized city that blends the character of a university town with regional healthcare, retail, and government services. The University of Montana campus sits near downtown, contributing to a lively core with restaurants, breweries, music venues, and riverfront parks. The city has a strong outdoor recreation culture, with miles of trails and open-space conservation land. Housing in the area is relatively expensive, and home values have been rising moderately, which puts pressure on affordability for many families. The DeSmet district itself did not have any recent major changes reported, so the school’s programming and leadership appear stable.
Overall, DeSmet School offers a small, community-oriented setting where the entire student body qualifies for meal assistance, yet academic outcomes in math are notably strong relative to the county. The ELA results leave room for growth, and a parent focused on literacy might want to dig deeper. The school fits a family looking for a close-knit elementary environment in a city with a university-town feel and abundant outdoor amenities, and who values a school that performs well on state measures despite serving a high-need population.
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