The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Longfellow School
Longfellow School serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in Great Falls, Montana, as part of the Great Falls Elem district. The school sits in a city that functions as a cultural and commercial center for central Montana, bisected by the Missouri River and shaped by its history as a hydroelectric-powered industrial and supply hub. Malmstrom Air Force Base, located east of the city, is the community’s largest employer, and the Montana Air National Guard also provides a significant local economic base. The city’s civic anchors include a concentration of museums, such as the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and the C. M. Russell Museum, and Interstate 15 provides north-south transit through the region.
Longfellow is a neighborhood elementary school, and its enrollment is moderate for a school of this grade band. The student body is diverse in its racial and ethnic composition. White students make up the largest share, followed by American Indian or Alaska Native students, students who identify with two or more races, Hispanic students, a small number of Black students, and a very small number of Asian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which indicates a high level of economic need among the families the school serves. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available in the provided records.
Because Longfellow serves only elementary and intermediate grades through sixth, it does not administer certain high school measures, and a four-year graduation rate does not apply here. The school’s most recent state test results, from the Smarter Balanced Assessment in math and English language arts for grades three through eight, showed no students scoring at the proficient or above level, though this result was reported as a zero. In science, the proficiency rate for the Montana Science Assessment was suppressed by the state, which often happens when student group sizes are too small to report publicly. For a school serving grades that are routinely tested, the reported math and English language arts results sit in the bottom quartile among districts in Cascade County based on an overall proficiency index that averages performance across all tested subjects and grades. A parent considering this school may want to investigate the academic support structures in place and how the school addresses student learning, particularly given the economic challenges many families face.
The housing market for the area, measured by the zip code directly, shows home values that are lower than the state benchmark for Montana, though they have risen over the past year. Typical rental costs are somewhat below the cost of a monthly mortgage payment, and rent as a share of the national median household income remains manageable. The national 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been holding above six percent, which may factor into housing decisions for families moving into the neighborhood. The economic context also shows a national unemployment rate that has held steady, and median household income has gradually increased over recent years.
The district brief reported no recent changes with lasting impact, so there is no known information about new initiatives, boundary shifts, or program adjustments that would affect Longfellow. Families looking at this school should consider the high level of economic need among the student body, the school’s current academic performance on state assessments, and the broader community context of a city with military and industrial roots that serves as a regional center for central Montana.
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