Original Research by School Decision on Lodge Grass School
Lodge Grass School serves children from prekindergarten through sixth grade in the town of Lodge Grass, Montana, as part of the Lodge Grass Elem district. Because it covers only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report here; that metric applies to high schools.
Lodge Grass sits within the Crow Indian Reservation in Big Horn County, a small residential community of a few hundred people where the economy has long been built on ranching. The town has seen population decline over the decades, and publicly reported sources describe a quiet, rural setting with limited commercial activity. The school campus occupies the western bluffs above the valley floor, separate from the residential grid. There is no distinct downtown; daily life centers on the school, the town hall, and community gatherings. Regional anchors include the Little Bighorn River, Interstate 90 access, and proximity to Crow Agency and the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.
The student body is very small for the grade span it covers. Virtually all students identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, a reflection of the surrounding community’s demographics. Every enrolled student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which signals a high level of economic need across the school population. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those support services.
State testing results for the most recent school year were suppressed for math, English language arts, and science. This means no proficiency rate, average scale score, or participation rate is publicly reported for Lodge Grass School. The reason for suppression is not stated in the available data, but in a school of this size, state agencies often withhold results when the testing group is small enough to risk identifying individual students. A parent looking to gauge academic performance will need to seek information directly from the district or classroom level, as there are no public test-score benchmarks to compare.
No program offerings were listed in the data available. There is no mention of specialized academic tracks, career-oriented pathways, or enrichment programs — though for an elementary school that is typical. A parent may wish to ask about what extracurricular or support programs exist, especially given the high economic need.
The district brief found no recent parent-relevant changes such as levies, bond measures, or curriculum shifts to report.
This is a small, rural elementary school on the Crow Reservation serving almost entirely Native American students from a community with deep ranching heritage and a declining population. The academic picture is opaque because state test results are suppressed, and the school’s small size is likely a factor. Families who live in or near Lodge Grass and want a neighborhood elementary school will find one that reflects the community’s identity and economic realities. For anyone considering a move into the area, the limited public data means that direct conversations with school staff are essential to understand the learning environment and support structures.
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