The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in English language arts. The lowest is 55% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Desmet 6-8
DeSmet 6-8 serves a small group of students in the middle grades within the DeSmet Elem district, a school system that operates in a corner of Missoula. With an enrollment that makes it one of the smaller middle schools around, it offers a setting where each student is a known presence. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic share and a smaller group of students who identify as two or more races. Every student at this school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a sign that the community it draws from faces concentrated economic need.
Academic results show a school that is performing well above what one might expect given that level of poverty. In math, more than half of students scored proficient or above on the Smarter Balanced assessment, and in English language arts, the proficiency rate was even higher. Science results from the state assessment were suppressed for privacy reasons, which generally happens when the tested group is very small. When measured across all tested subjects and grades, DeSmet 6-8’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quarter of Missoula County school districts. That is a clear strength and suggests that the school is getting strong academic outcomes for its students, despite the limited resources that often accompany a high-poverty designation.
The school sits within the city of Missoula, a mid-sized place with a university-town character. The economy long ago shifted away from lumber and toward the University of Montana, healthcare, and public schools. Downtown offers restaurants, breweries, and music venues, and the Clark Fork River runs through the city with parkland and trails nearby. Housing in the area is relatively expensive, with home values above the state typical figure and rents climbing, making it a tighter market for families. The school itself is part of the DeSmet Elem district, which did not have any major recent changes publicly reported.
Because of its size, DeSmet 6-8 does not have the breadth of course options or extracurriculars that a larger middle school might offer. Data on special education and English learner populations, on chronic absenteeism, on staffing ratios, and on disciplinary actions were not available in the records used here. A parent considering the school would want to visit and ask about those details directly, especially given that the school serves a population that often needs additional support. What is known is that the school achieves solid academic results in a small, low-income setting, and that it operates within a vibrant city that continues to grow.
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