The top reported proficiency rate is 100% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Sand Springs School
Sand Springs School is no longer open. That is the single most important fact for any family considering this part of Garfield County, Montana. The district’s only school closed in 2023, which means there is no public elementary school operating within the Sand Springs Elem district boundaries today.
When it was active, Sand Springs School served a single grade span designated only as M through M, a classification that typically refers to a multi-grade or combined classroom in a very small rural setting. The school’s state testing results from the 2022-23 year show that the two students tested in both math and English language arts scored at the proficient level. Science data was not reported, likely because the small tested population did not meet reporting thresholds. These results come from such a tiny group that they offer no meaningful picture of academic performance for a typical family evaluating school quality. No enrollment, demographic, or economic data is available from that final year, and the school’s operational status is listed as inactive.
The community of Sand Springs itself is an unincorporated rural settlement with a population of roughly ninety people. It sits along a state highway, a substantial drive from Jordan, the Garfield County seat. The local economy rests on sheep and cattle ranching, with some small-grain farming and a growing recreation sector tied to hunting, fishing, and outdoor activities. The built environment is sparse: a post office, a historical store and dance hall, and scattered rural structures. There is no downtown core, no sidewalks, and no public transit. Housing data for the area was not available, so there is no picture of rental or purchase costs to share.
The parent district, Sand Springs Elem, is a single-school district that is now effectively without its school. The district brief confirms the closure is a lasting change. Because the school served only one unspecified grade band, there is no graduation rate, no chronic absenteeism data, and no civil rights or discipline data to report. The school never had state test results from a large enough cohort to compare meaningfully against other schools in Garfield County, and the comparison fact-set notes that the proficiency index could not be calculated because the cohort was too small.
For a parent or resident looking at this area, the situation is straightforward. There is no operating public school here. A family would need to explore schooling options outside the district, likely in Jordan or another nearby community, and factor in the long drive across open country. The school and district no longer provide a local academic pathway, peer environment, or student support structure. This is a place where the question is not whether the school fits a family’s needs, but whether any public school exists to consider at all.
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