The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in English language arts. The lowest is 50% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Russell School
Russell School is an elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Missoula Elem district, located in a residential area of Missoula, Montana. Missoula itself is a mid-sized city with a university-town character, where the economy has shifted from its historic lumber base toward education, healthcare, and government services. The city has a walkable downtown along the Clark Fork River, with restaurants, breweries, and music venues, and the University of Montana campus sits near the city center. School and civic life are integrated into or near the downtown core.
Russell School has an enrollment that is predominantly white, with the next largest groups being Hispanic students and American Indian or Alaska Native students, followed by those identifying as two or more races, Asian students, and Black students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves a broad slice of the community's families within its attendance area. Because it is an elementary school, it does not have a graduation rate, and the data did not include chronic absenteeism or discipline information.
On state assessments, Russell School students across third through fifth grade performed at a level that placed the school in the top quartile for overall proficiency among Missoula County elementary schools. In both math and English language arts, a majority of tested students met or exceeded the state proficiency standard on the Smarter Balanced Assessment. In science, tested on the Montana Science Assessment, about half of students reached the proficiency bar. These results suggest a school performing at a solid level relative to its peers in the county, though a parent may want to ask the school about how it supports students who are below the proficiency mark, particularly in science.
The neighborhood around Russell School has a housing market that, by national standards, is expensive. Estimated monthly mortgage costs are notably higher than typical rent in the area, making homeownership a stretch for many households. Rents have been rising modestly, while home values have seen a slight recent decline, though they remain elevated. The national unemployment rate and median household income context suggest that this is a relatively high-cost area where families may need to budget carefully for housing near the school.
The Missoula Elem district has made several recent changes that directly affect Russell School families. In 2024, voters approved an elementary general fund levy that generates ongoing revenue for student mental health support, class size, and curriculum, after a similar levy had failed the year before. The district also adopted a new elementary literacy curriculum beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, based on the science of reading, which represents a significant shift in how reading is taught across all elementary schools, including Russell. The district has developed a strategic plan for 2025-2030 focused on academic excellence, whole-child wellness, and community engagement.
For a parent or resident considering Russell School, the picture is of a neighborhood elementary school in a university town with a strong sense of place, serving a diverse-by-income student body. The school's test scores are competitive with other schools in the county, and the district has made recent investments in mental health and literacy instruction. The main considerations are the high cost of local housing and the fact that, like any elementary school, the academic profile only covers the early grades, so families will eventually need to look ahead to middle and high school options within the district.
See more original research from School Decision →