The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Science. The lowest is 0% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Roosevelt Junior High
Roosevelt Junior High serves grades six through eight in Red Lodge, a small mountain town that functions as the Carbon County seat and a tourism gateway. The school is part of the Red Lodge Elem district, which covers the town's public education from elementary through middle grades. Red Lodge blends a historic commercial downtown with residential neighborhoods and working agricultural land, and its economic base has shifted from coal mining to tourism, recreation, and ranching. The downtown is walkable and compact, with a Carnegie Library, arts venues, and a restored train depot housing a gallery. The town saw significant flood damage in recent years and its population growth has been slow and tourism-driven, with seasonal fluctuation more pronounced than permanent change.
The school is a conventional public junior high, not a charter or magnet school. Its enrollment is small for a middle school serving three grade levels. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic share in the low single digits and very small numbers of students from other racial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is typical for a rural district of this type.
State testing data for math and English language arts returned a zero proficiency rate in the most recent school year, and the number of students tested was also reported as zero. This pattern is unusual and likely reflects a data reporting issue rather than actual student performance, since a school with active enrollment would have tested students. A parent or guardian should verify directly with the district whether testing was administered and what results were obtained. Science assessment results, which are separate from the math and ELA tests, show a proficiency rate that sits well above half of tested students, meaning a solid majority met the state's science standard.
Compared to other districts in Carbon County, Roosevelt Junior High's overall proficiency across tested subjects falls below the midpoint of the county's districts. This comparison uses a composite proficiency index, and a parent should consider that the math and ELA data gap affects this calculation. The data does not include chronic absenteeism rates, special education identification rates, or English learner counts, so those dimensions of the school environment are not part of this picture.
Housing in Red Lodge is expensive relative to national benchmarks, with home values significantly higher than the state average and well above the national median. Monthly mortgage costs at current interest rates would be substantial for a typical household. The town's economy relies on tourism, government, and medical services, with the Beartooth Billings Clinic, the county government, and Red Lodge Mountain ski area among the identified employers. Unemployment nationally has been low, and real median household income nationally has edged up in recent years.
The district brief found no evidence of recent referenda, curriculum changes, property-tax shifts, or other parent-relevant changes in the last several years. That does not mean the district is static, only that no such events were reported in the available public record.
For a family considering Roosevelt Junior High, the school offers a small middle school setting in a town with a distinct mountain character and a tourism-oriented economy. The testing picture has a notable hole in the core subjects, which a parent would want to clarify with the school. The science results suggest at least one academic area where students perform well. The town's housing costs are high for the region, and the seasonal tourism economy brings both vitality and fluctuation.
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