The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in Science. The lowest is 58% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Paintbrush Elementary
Paintbrush Elementary sits on West Lakeway Road in Gillette, Wyoming, serving kindergarten through sixth grade as part of Campbell County School District #1. It is a neighborhood elementary school in a city that defines itself by the energy industry. Gillette calls itself the Energy Capital of the Nation, sitting in the Powder River Basin amid coal, oil, and coalbed methane development. The town grew rapidly during the fossil fuel boom, and that history shapes the community around the school. Publicly reported sources note that the decline in coal use nationally has begun to affect the local economy, with some local officials actively seeking to diversify into other industries.
The school itself is small for its grade band, with a fairly even distribution across grades from kindergarten through sixth. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and trace representation from other racial and ethnic groups. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, lower than what many public elementary schools report, which suggests a relatively stable economic base among enrolled families. Data on English learner status and special education enrollment was not available, so those population details remain unclear.
Academically, Paintbrush shows a pattern worth paying attention to. On Wyoming's WY-TOPP assessment in the most recent school year, math proficiency starts lower in the early grades and climbs steadily through fifth and sixth, where a strong majority of students reach proficiency. English language arts results are more consistent across grades, hovering in a moderate range from third through sixth grade, with a slight uptick in fifth. Science was tested only in fourth grade, and a solid majority of students there demonstrated proficiency. The upward trajectory in math as students move through the upper grades is a genuine strength, suggesting the school's instruction in that subject builds effectively over time. A parent may want to look into the third-grade math results further with the school, as that is the weakest reported figure.
Because Paintbrush serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and that metric does not apply here. The school does not appear in a meaningful county-level comparison set because Campbell County contains too few districts to generate a reliable benchmark, so the proficiency index that would position this school against its neighbors could not be computed. We looked for multi-year trend data to see whether these results represent improvement or decline, but none was available, so the current snapshot is all the data supports.
We found no reported information on chronic absenteeism, discipline incidents, course access, or staffing ratios. Program offerings, such as before- and after-school care, gifted services, or specialized interventions, were also not provided. This is a noticeable gap for families who want to understand the full support structure beyond test results. The school's Title I status and charter or magnet designation were not reported either, though the school is listed as a non-charter public school.
The housing market around Paintbrush reflects the broader economic context of Gillette. Home values in the school's zip code sit close to the state and national benchmarks, but they have declined modestly over the past year, which aligns with the economic softening tied to reduced coal demand. Renting remains notably cheaper than carrying a mortgage at current interest rates. For a family considering a move into the attendance area, this means housing is relatively accessible by national standards, though the market direction is worth watching given the town's economic transition.
Gillette as a place is car-dependent and spread out, with low population density and limited walkability. The downtown area has civic anchors like the Campbell County Courthouse and local businesses, and the CAM-PLEX event center just outside the city hosts rodeos, wrestling, and other gatherings. The Campbell County Public Library has a branch in town. The school district operates on a distributed campus model, with two high schools serving the broader community. Paintbrush families looking for a walkable, dense urban environment will not find it here, but those who prefer a quieter Western city with room to spread out may find the setting agreeable.
Paintbrush Elementary presents as a small, relatively stable neighborhood school with improving math outcomes in the upper elementary years and steady reading results. The absence of data on student support services, staffing, and program offerings is the largest limitation in understanding what the school provides beyond its academic results. Families considering this school would benefit from asking directly about intervention supports, enrichment opportunities, and how the school serves students with specialized needs.
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