The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in Science. The lowest is 0% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Kila 7-8
Kila 7-8 is a tiny school that serves only seventh and eighth grades in the unincorporated rural community of Kila, Montana, about ten miles west of Kalispell. The school is part of the Kila Elem district and sits on Kila Road, away from the U.S. Highway 2 corridor that runs through the area. With a small population of students, the school offers an intimate academic setting where two grade levels occupy the same building.
The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of American Indian or Alaska Native students and a small Hispanic population. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is the most significant demographic indicator available; data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about special education and language support services.
State testing results are limited and carry important caveats. For mathematics and English language arts in grades 3 through 8, the state reports no tested students for this school. Because Kila 7-8 serves only seventh and eighth graders, and the state data shows zero students tested in those two subjects, it appears that the school’s students were not assessed through the standard Smarter Balanced tests in the most recent year, or possibly the school’s small size means results are suppressed. A parent should check with the district or state to understand what happened. For science, the picture is clearer: about a third of students scored at the proficient level or above on the Montana Science Assessment, a result that lands in the bottom quartile of proficiency across tested subjects and grades compared to other schools in Flathead County. That comparison set, relative to districts in Flathead County, places Kila 7-8’s overall proficiency index in the bottom quartile among the schools that have reported results. There was no graduation rate available, as this school does not serve the high school grades that would produce one.
The school offers no programs data, so course access, extracurriculars, and any career or dual-credit pathways are unknown from the available information. There was no discipline, staffing, or attendance data either, leaving many practical questions unanswered for a parent considering enrollment. Kila’s setting is deeply rural and car-dependent, with no downtown, no sidewalks, and all commercial services requiring a drive to Kalispell. The community is oriented toward outdoor recreation, with Smith Lake nearby and Flathead Lake a short distance away. Home values in the area have risen sharply in recent years, reflecting demand pressure across Flathead County, though the community itself has seen only modest population change. The Kila Elem district has no publicly reported recent changes, such as boundary shifts, new programs, or facility updates, that would affect a family’s decision.
For a family that values a very small school environment, rural living, and proximity to outdoor recreation, Kila 7-8 fits that profile. The academic picture, however, is incomplete: the absence of reading and math test data for a grade band that is normally tested, combined with low science proficiency and a bottom-quartile position among county peers, means a parent will want to have a direct conversation with the school about curriculum, student support, and what academic expectations look like in practice. Without course offerings, staffing ratios, or attendance records available, the decision rests heavily on what the school itself can share about the day-to-day experience of its students.
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