The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in Science. The lowest is 0% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Sunnyside School
Sunnyside School in Havre, Montana, serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade as part of the Havre Elementary School District. The school is located in a community that functions as the medical and business hub for the Hi-Line region of the state, with a downtown grid shaped by its origins as a railroad service center for the Great Northern Railway. Havre has seen a modest population decline in recent years, and no major new housing developments were identified in publicly available searches. For families considering a move, this is a stable, slow-shrinking town rather than a rapidly growing one.
The student body at Sunnyside is predominantly white, with a notable share of American Indian or Alaska Native students and smaller numbers of Hispanic students and students of two or more races. The school environment is marked by a high level of economic need. Almost all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate well above what is typical across the country. This context is important for understanding the school's academic results, which are mixed.
In math and English language arts, state testing data shows no students reaching the proficient level. This is a significant soft spot, and a parent would want to discuss with the school how instruction and support are structured for students who are not yet meeting state benchmarks in these core subjects. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, places it below the midpoint relative to other districts in Hill County. However, the picture is not uniform. In science, roughly a quarter of students scored at the proficient level or higher on the Montana Science Assessment. While this is still a minority of students, it indicates that some subject-area learning is on track. A family considering Sunnyside would want to ask how the school addresses gaps in math and reading specifically.
The enrollment numbers reveal an unusual grade distribution. The school reports its total enrollment as a mid-sized elementary and middle school, but the breakdown by grade is highly skewed. The largest concentrations are in fourth and fifth grades, while kindergarten through third grade and sixth through eighth grade each have only a handful of students. This pattern is rare and suggests that the school may operate in a way that groups students differently than a conventional grade-by-grade model, or that its enrollment by grade may reflect a specific program configuration. A parent should verify the actual classroom structure and whether the school serves as a dedicated intermediate or upper-elementary campus within the district, or whether the grade counts represent a reporting anomaly.
Sunnyside is a traditional public school that is not a charter or magnet. It does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Information on programs such as art, music, athletics, or after-school activities was not available in the data provided. Similarly, data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, and staffing ratios were not included. A family evaluating the school would need to gather this information directly from the school or the Havre Elementary District. The district’s recent financial or policy changes, such as bond measures or levies, were not found in web searches, so the current district-level priorities are not described here.
Housing in the Havre area is relatively affordable by national standards. Typical home values in the zip code are well below the state median, and well below the national median, making this a lower-cost market for homeowners. The broader economic context includes an unemployment rate near the national average, which adds a layer of stability for working families.
For a parent, Sunnyside School presents a clear trade-off. It sits in an affordable, slow-growth town with a strong sense of place and regional services. But the academic numbers, particularly in math and reading, are weak, and the unusual grade distribution warrants a direct conversation with the school to understand what a student’s day-to-day experience actually looks like. Families who already live in the district and are weighing their options may want to investigate what supports are available for students who are below grade level, and whether the school environment matches their child’s needs.
See more original research from School Decision →