The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in Science. The lowest is 0% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lewis & Clark School
Lewis & Clark School is a public elementary school in Great Falls, Montana, serving prekindergarten through sixth grade. It is one of the elementary schools within the Great Falls Elem district, a system that covers the city and its immediate surroundings. For a parent looking at this school, the picture that emerges is of a neighborhood school with a moderate enrollment and a student body that is primarily white but reflects the broader racial diversity of the community. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the catchment area includes families with lower incomes.
The academic picture at Lewis & Clark is incomplete based on the most recent state testing data. For the 2023-24 school year, results were available only for science, where roughly a quarter of tested students scored at the proficient level or above. Math and English language arts results were not reported because no students were tested in those subjects during that testing cycle. This is unusual for a school serving grades three through six, where state assessments typically occur. It is possible that something about the testing administration or grade bands involved led to the gap; a parent may want to ask the school or district directly how they monitor math and reading progress in the absence of those state scores. The only available measure places the school’s overall proficiency index well below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Cascade County. However, that index is built from the same sparse test data, so it does not give a full picture of student performance.
The enrollment is steady across the elementary grades, with class sizes that appear typical for a school of this size. Racially, the student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students, a smaller group of students who identify as two or more races, and a small number of Native American students. Information on students with disabilities and English learners is not available in the data provided, which means it is not possible to gauge the level of special education or language support services from this source.
Great Falls itself is an industrial and commercial center for central Montana, shaped by the nearby Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard, both major employers. The city is bisected by the Missouri River and has a notable concentration of museums, including the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Home values in the area are below the state average, and rents are moderate relative to local incomes, making the city relatively affordable. The housing market has seen modest appreciation, and rental costs are rising at a pace roughly in line with national trends.
The school’s location in the southern part of Great Falls places it in a mostly residential area with access to the city’s arterial roads. The district itself reports no recent major changes that would affect families choosing this school, and no information on program offerings, staffing ratios, or discipline was available in the data. For a family considering Lewis & Clark, the key points to investigate further are how the school measures academic growth in math and reading given the missing state test results, and what support structures are in place for the substantial share of students who qualify for meal assistance. The school’s modest profile and affordable housing context may appeal to families looking for a stable, neighborhood-oriented elementary experience in a midsize Montana city.
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