The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Science. The lowest is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Malta K-5
Malta K-5 is a small school in a small rural town, serving children from pre-kindergarten through the early middle grades. Though its name suggests kindergarten through fifth grade, the school enrolls students up through grade eight, though in practice almost all of its students are in the elementary grades. This is a school where a child can begin in pre-K and stay through the end of elementary school, then move on to Malta High School, which is part of the same district.
Academically, the school performs at a level that stands out within its county. On the state’s Smarter Balanced assessments, the share of students meeting proficiency in math and English language arts is around two in five, and on the Montana Science Assessment roughly three in five students score proficient. When compared against other districts in Phillips County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects places it in the top quadrant. That is a notably strong showing for a small rural school, and it suggests that academic expectations and student outcomes are above what many nearby districts achieve. However, because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to consider.
The student body is predominantly white, with a notable representation of American Indian students and students who identify as two or more races. Hispanic and Black students make up small shares of the enrollment. A substantial portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic circumstances of many families in the area. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to follow up directly with the school about those support structures.
The town of Malta itself is the county seat of Phillips County, sitting on the High Plains of Montana. It has a compact footprint, a small downtown with a Carnegie library and dinosaur museums, and an Amtrak stop. Its economy is anchored by agriculture and government employment. The population has been declining over recent years, and housing values are lower than both the state and national averages, making homeownership more attainable than in many other parts of Montana. Median household income is below the state figure, and a measurable share of residents live below the poverty line. The school is woven into the fabric of the town rather than set apart on a separate campus, and there is no recent record of major changes or disruptions in the district.
This school fits families who are looking for a straightforward, community-centered elementary education in a rural setting where the school is a clear point of pride for the town. The academic results are solid relative to other local options, and the small enrollment means students are likely to be known individually. The declining population and limited local economy are real contextual factors that may matter to families considering a move to the area. The school does not have a wide array of specialized programs on the public record, and information about staffing ratios, discipline, and chronic absenteeism is absent from the available data, so a conversation with school leadership would be worthwhile to fill in those details.
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