Highland Park School

Highland Park School is one of the tight-knit K-5 schools in Miles City, Montana, run under Miles City Elem, with 126 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 2. Compared to the state average of about 167 students per school, that is 25% smaller than typical.

Miles City Elem runs 5 schools in total, collectively educating 926 students. Highland Park School is one of those campuses.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Highland Park School records that White students make up the majority at 79%. The remainder comes out to 17% Native American, 3% Hispanic. That is meaningfully less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 90%.

On the resource side, On paper, Highland Park School has 10 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.6:1. The state averages about 11.9:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. An estimated 41% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

In the broader community, ACS estimates for Custer County put the typical household earns roughly $70,605 per year, 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 5%. Across Custer County's 13 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,560 students), Highland Park School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Lincoln School, around 0.5 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Highland Park School.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Highland Park School has decreased 14%, going from 147 students in 2018 to 126 in 2025. The White share of enrollment declined from 91% to 79% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 14.3:1 in 2018 to 12.6:1 today.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.