The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Math. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Fred W Graff School
Fred W Graff School serves only third and fourth graders, a narrow grade band that gives it a focused elementary mission. It sits on the south side of Laurel, a small city in south-central Montana shaped by a major rail yard, an oil refinery, and a commuter connection to Billings. Graff is one of three elementary schools in the Laurel Elementary district, and the school’s enrollment is moderate for a two-grade building. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and very small numbers of American Indian and multiracial students. Nearly half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a substantial share.
State assessment results from the 2023-24 school year are available for math and English language arts. On the Smarter Balanced Assessment, the share of students scoring proficient or above was in the mid-to-lower range in both subjects, though the numbers were similar across them. Science assessment data showed no tested students, which is common when a school’s grade span does not fall within the state’s science testing window.
When placed alongside districts in Yellowstone County, Graff’s combined proficiency across math and ELA landed in the bottom quarter. This is a point a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand how the curriculum aligns with state standards and what support is available for students who are not yet at the proficient level.
The school is part of the Laurel Elementary district, which also serves younger and middle grades at other buildings. Because Graff only covers two grades, the academic experience is tightly concentrated on the early intermediate years. Families considering Graff will also want to look at the feeder pattern for the middle and high school years, though that data is not part of this profile.
Laurel itself is a compact city with a downtown core along Main Street, a strong industrial presence from the BNSF rail yard and the Cenex Harvest States refinery, and newer subdivisions spreading west. The population has held fairly steady in recent years, and the town has a bedroom-community feel for workers commuting a short distance to Billings. Home values in Laurel’s zip code sit above the national median, and the median asking price for homes in Yellowstone County is at a level that makes homeownership expensive for many households. Rents are more moderate relative to local incomes, but the gap between renting and buying is wide. The housing market shows a slight cooling in listing prices and a moderate increase in days on market, though demand remains solid. For a family looking at Graff, the housing choice will likely involve either an older home in a central neighborhood or a newer home in a west-side subdivision.
Civic amenities in Laurel include parks, a public library, a municipal golf course, and a volunteer fire department that hosts a major Fourth of July fireworks display. The city is physically divided by railroad tracks, and schools are spread across different parts of town. Graff is on the south side, separate from the high school and middle school cluster near the center.
This is a school that fits families who want an elementary setting focused on the transition years of third and fourth grade, in a town with a stable, working-class, industrial-residential character. The academic results are modest compared to other districts in the county, and a parent would want to check in on how the school supports students who are below proficiency. There is no data on class size, teacher qualifications, or programs such as gifted or special education, so those are gaps a prospective family would need to fill by contacting the school directly.
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