Darby School

Darby School is a mid-sized elementary school in Darby, Montana, overseen by Darby K-12 Schools. The school caters to 170 students in grades pre-K through 6.

Within Darby K-12 Schools, which oversees 3 schools and 334 students, Darby School is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Darby School shows that the student body is overwhelmingly White (88%). Other groups include 5% Hispanic, 4% Native American, 2% multiracial. That mix tracks the wider county fairly closely.

In terms of school funding signals, Darby School reports 13 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.5:1. The state averages around 11.9:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. An estimated 100% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Ravalli County (around 50%), the school's rate is somewhat above typical.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Ravalli County indicate the typical household earns roughly $71,283 per year, 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Darby School is one of 30 public schools in Ravalli County (combined enrollment of about 5,729 students).

The closest other public school is Darby 7-8, roughly 0.0 miles away. 2 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Darby School operates from a countryside location.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Darby School has grew 3%, going from 165 students in 2018 to 170 in 2025. Class-load math has widened: from 12.0:1 in 2018 to 13.5:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.