The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Highwood Middle School
Highwood Middle School serves grades six through eight as part of the Highwood K-12 district, a single public-school campus in the unincorporated rural community of Highwood, Montana. The entire school—elementary, middle, and high school—is co-located at one address on West Street South, and the middle school’s enrollment is very small, a size that is typical for a remote agricultural community in Chouteau County. The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.
On state assessments administered in the most recent school year, students at Highwood Middle School posted proficiency rates in math and English language arts that were well above the midpoint when compared with other districts in Chouteau County, placing in the top quartile. The share of students scoring at proficient or above in both subjects was a strong outcome. Science assessment results were suppressed for data confidentiality reasons, as the tested group was very small, so no judgment can be made about science performance. Because the school does not serve grades beyond eighth, there is no graduation rate to report here.
Highwood is a very small unincorporated community in the Big Sag Valley, with roots in ranching and farming stretching back to the 1860s. It sits roughly a long drive east of Great Falls. The built environment consists of scattered homes, agricultural land, and the school campus; there is no commercial downtown, no public transit, and no public library within the community itself. The population has been declining slowly, and fewer than a hundred housing units are in the community, with no new subdivisions or development activity indicated. Housing values have risen in recent years, likely reflecting broader regional market trends rather than local growth. The school campus and the post office, which has operated continuously for many decades, are the primary civic anchors.
The district brief turned up no recent property-tax shifts, referenda, or curriculum changes to report. That is not unusual for a very small rural district; the school's offerings and operations appear stable.
For a family considering Highwood Middle School, the picture is straightforward. This is a very small, rural school with strong middle-grade proficiency outcomes on state tests. The peer group is small and the setting is isolated, with limited nearby commercial or cultural amenities and a drive required for most errands or employment. The student body is not diverse, and the school offers the kind of close-knit, familiar environment that many families in small agricultural communities value. A parent weighing this school should feel assured by the academic results but should also understand that the school’s scale and rural location mean it cannot offer the breadth of course options, extracurriculars, or support services that a larger school might. The data available suggests that for students who thrive in a small, rural setting with solid core instruction, Highwood Middle School is performing well.
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