The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Science. The lowest is 0% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Forsyth Elementary School
Forsyth Elementary School, located in the small county seat of Forsyth, serves children from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The school is part of the Forsyth Elem district, and for families considering the area, it is useful to know what this school offers and what it does not, as the available data is thin in several key areas.
The student body is small for a school serving these grade levels, and the composition is predominantly white, with a smaller but notable share of students who identify as two or more races. Just under half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that indicates a significant portion of families in the community face economic challenges. The town itself, a rural county seat in the Yellowstone River valley, has a historically rooted economy tied to agriculture and the railroad, with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway operating a crew change point there. Like many small towns in the region, Forsyth is experiencing a slight population decline and is not undergoing rapid growth, which contributes to a stable but slowly shrinking residential base.
When it comes to academic performance, a parent should proceed with a clear understanding of what the state test results show and, more importantly, what they do not show. For the most recent year, the school reported that no students in grades three through eight were proficient in math and that no students were proficient in English language arts, according to the Smarter Balanced Assessment. These are the results for all students who took the test; a parent would be wise to ask the school directly about the circumstances behind this outcome, as early-grade test results that hit zero are extremely unusual and warrant a conversation.
The science assessment, based on the Montana Science Assessment, tells a different story. A substantial majority of tested students scored at the proficient level or above in science. This indicates a clear area of relative strength within the school’s academic program.
In a broader comparison with other districts in Rosebud County, the school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint of the group. There were only a small number of districts with data available for this comparison, so the frame is a narrow one.
Notable gaps exist in the available data. The state did not report a chronic absenteeism rate for this school, nor did it provide any information on discipline statistics, the number of students with disabilities, or English learner enrollment. These are all areas a parent may want to explore with the administration, as they are critical to understanding the full student support environment. A graduation rate is not applicable, as the school does not serve high school grades.
The district itself does not appear to have initiated any major, publicly reported changes such as a recent bond referendum or a significant curriculum overhaul. The school’s charter status is not active, and its Title I status was not reported. Programs such as gifted offerings, arts pathways, or extracurriculars were also not included in the data.
For a family considering Forsyth Elementary, the picture is one of a small, rural school where the academic story is sharply divided: science stands out as a clear strength, while math and reading results are reported as zero, which demands direct follow-up with the school. The community offers a quiet, stable setting with a historic downtown and easy access to outdoor recreation along the Yellowstone River, but it is not a growing area and the housing market, while more affordable than the state average, reflects a gradual decline in home values. The school fits a family seeking a small-town environment and a tight-knit community, but one that will need to ask pointed questions about recent academic performance and student support structures to get a complete picture.
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