Independent School

Independent School is one of the roomy K-5 schools in Billings, Montana, one of the schools within Independent Elem, with 272 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 6. By comparison, Montana's public schools average about 167 students each, so Independent School sits 63% bigger than that benchmark.

Independent Elem is the operating authority for Independent School, handling staffing, calendars, and reporting to the state department of education.

Looking at the student body, Independent School shows that the student body is overwhelmingly White (81%). Other groups include 7% Hispanic, 5% Native American, 4% multiracial, 3% Pacific Islander.

Looking at school resources, Independent School lists 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.8:1. The state averages around 11.9:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. About 31% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is noticeably below Yellowstone County's rate of about 48%.

In the surrounding community, the surrounding county (Yellowstone County) shows that median household income runs about $76,570, 34% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Yellowstone County runs 68 public schools (combined enrollment of about 23,853 students), of which Independent School is one.

Medicine Crow Middle School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.2 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Independent School operates from an outer-ring location.

Over the past 7-year window. Independent School's enrollment has shrank 7% since 2018, when it stood at 294 (now 272). White enrollment moved from 91% to 81% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 16.2:1 in 2018 to 13.8:1 today.

Inside the community feed, members of the Independent School community share and discuss fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.