The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Math. The lowest is 32% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Irle Elementary School
Irle Elementary School is a public school in Glasgow, Montana, serving children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade under the Glasgow K-12 Schools district. It is a moderate-sized elementary building that anchors one end of the town’s three-school system, along with the middle school and high school. For families considering this school, the experience is shaped by a rural Great Plains community and a set of academic results that fall below the midpoint among the few Valley County districts with comparable data.
On state assessments, Irle students take the Smarter Balanced tests in math and English language arts, and the Montana Science Assessment. The share of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level in each subject was below the median for Valley County districts, placing the school in the lower range of that small comparison set. Only a couple of districts in the county had enough tested students to report, so the benchmark is narrow. Still, a parent looking at these outcomes will want to talk with the school about how instruction and support are organized, especially since proficiency rates in all three subjects were modest. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate applies, and data on chronic absenteeism was not available.
The student body reflects the demographics of the region. A strong majority of children are white, with a noticeable share of American Indian or Alaska Native students and a smaller number identifying as two or more races. A substantial portion of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that economic diversity is a real part of the school community. No information was reported on students with disabilities or English learners, so those details would need to come directly from the district.
Glasgow itself is the largest town for a very long distance in northeastern Montana, functioning as a commercial and administrative hub for a vast agricultural region. The town was originally a railroad siding and later grew during the Fort Peck Dam and Air Force Base eras; its population has since stabilized at a level well below those peak years. Housing values are notably lower than the Montana average, making homeownership more accessible than in many parts of the state. The school campus sits within the small-town footprint, close to downtown businesses and civic buildings, so it is a walkable or short-drive option for most residents. The district brief did not identify any recent major changes or strategic shifts in the schools.
For a family, Irle Elementary offers a straightforward, small-town public education in a stable community that values its agricultural roots and regional role. The academic performance on state tests is an area to explore further with the school. The student population is economically mixed, which can be a strength for children who benefit from diverse peer environments. The setting is isolated — about as far as one can get from a major metro area in the contiguous United States — but the town provides essential services, a weekly Amtrak stop, and recreational access to Fort Peck Lake. This school fits families who want a neighborhood elementary in a rural, self-contained town and who are comfortable with academic outcomes that are lower than the county median.
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