The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Science. The lowest is 26% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Garfield School
Garfield School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Miles City, a regional hub in southeastern Montana that functions as the area’s commerce, medical, and agricultural center. The town is compact, with an established downtown core of historic buildings, shops, and restaurants, and auto-oriented commercial strips along the highway. The cattle industry remains deeply woven into the town’s identity, and healthcare is the largest employment sector. Population growth has been essentially flat for more than a decade. Housing is moderately priced relative to state and national benchmarks, and most commutes are short given the town’s size; there is no public transit system identified in publicly reported sources.
The school itself sits within the Miles City Elementary district, which serves the city and surrounding area. Garfield is one of the district’s elementary schools, and its enrollment is small for its grade band. A substantial share of students—the majority—qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that poverty is a significant factor in the community. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Native American, Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported, so a parent seeking that information would need to ask the school directly.
On state assessments in the most recent testing year, Garfield School’s proficiency rates were below what many families would consider a strong baseline. In both math and English language arts, about one in four students scored proficient or above, and in science, the rate was slightly higher but still below a third. These results are delivered from the state’s Smarter Balanced and Montana Science assessments. The absence of multi-year trend data makes it impossible to say whether performance is improving or declining. A parent moving into the area may want to look into this further by speaking with the school about instructional supports and interventions, particularly given the high share of students from low-income households.
Because Garfield is a K–5 school, there is no graduation rate to report. The district comparison set, which includes the handful of districts in Custer County, was too small for a meaningful proficiency index comparison, so it is not possible to say how Garfield’s test scores stack up against those of nearby elementary schools. No program offerings—such as art, music, foreign language, or gifted education—were available in the data, so families curious about enrichment or specialized instruction would need to contact the school.
The district itself has faced a recent capital challenge. A bond issue to fund HVAC replacements, roof repairs, and security vestibules across all five district schools failed by a narrow margin. The district has identified immediate capital needs and is planning a smaller bond proposal for the future. This means that some deferred maintenance—potentially including at Garfield—is being managed through existing budgets, and a future vote could affect local property taxes.
No discipline data, attendance records, or staffing information were available, leaving gaps in the picture of school climate and student support. A parent might look for classroom observations or conversations with current families to fill that in. The school is not a charter or magnet; it operates as a traditional neighborhood public school.
In short, Garfield School offers an elementary education in a stable, slow-growing rural town with affordable housing and a compact geography. The student body is economically diverse, with a majority of families qualifying for meal assistance. Test scores point to academic challenges that are worth a closer look, and the district is working through facility funding issues. For a parent weighing this school, the next step would be to visit, ask about academic support programs, and see firsthand how the school’s staff and community approach those challenges.
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