The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in Science. The lowest is 38% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Franklin School
Franklin School is an elementary school in Missoula, serving prekindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Missoula Elem district. Located on the south side of the city, it is a neighborhood school with a student population that is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who are Hispanic, Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and multiracial. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school among those with higher economic need in the district.
The school serves only early and elementary grades, so it has no graduation rate to report. Its academic performance is measured through state assessments in math, English language arts, and science for grades three through five. In the most recent testing year, the share of students scoring proficient or above in math was a bit below the midpoint when compared to other school districts in Missoula County. Reading proficiency was lower than math. Science proficiency, assessed only in a single grade, was higher than both math and reading. A parent considering Franklin will want to ask the school how it supports students who are not yet at the proficient bar, particularly in reading, and how it plans to address these results under the district’s new literacy curriculum.
The Missoula Elem district recently made several changes that directly affect Franklin families. In May 2024, voters approved an elementary general fund levy that generates ongoing revenue for student mental health, class size, and curriculum; a similar levy had failed the year before, so this represents a stable new funding source. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, the district adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum grounded in the science of reading, a significant pedagogical shift that is now being implemented in all elementary schools including Franklin. The district also developed a strategic plan for 2025-2030 that focuses on academic excellence, whole-child wellness, and community engagement; families can expect the school’s priorities to align with these district-level goals.
Missoula itself is a mid-sized city with a university-town character, its economy anchored by the University of Montana, the public schools, and two hospitals. The city has a lively downtown with restaurants, breweries, and music venues, and the university campus sits near the city center. The Clark Fork River runs through downtown, and there is a substantial amount of parkland, trails, and open-space conservation land. Housing in the school’s zip code carries a value notably higher than the national benchmark, and rents have been rising, which has implications for affordability. The local unemployment rate has been around the national average.
For a family considering Franklin, the picture is one of a school with a high-need student population, academic results that are mixed compared to county peers, and a district that has recently made deliberate investments in reading instruction and mental health funding. The school’s size is typical of an elementary in this grade band. It is not a charter or magnet school. A parent looking for a school where a substantial share of students come from economically diverse backgrounds, and where the district is actively working on curriculum reform and new funding, will find Franklin a straightforward neighborhood option. A parent with concerns about reading proficiency should investigate what specific supports and interventions the school offers in the primary grades.
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