Orchard School

Orchard School is one of the large K-5 schools in Billings, Montana, operated by Billings Elem, with 340 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 104% above the typical public school in Montana, which averages around 167 students.

Orchard School is one of 29 schools operated by Billings Elem, a district that enrolls 11,377 students overall.

On the student-mix side, Orchard School reports that 44% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest consists of 22% Hispanic, 20% Native American, 12% multiracial, 2% Black. By comparison, Yellowstone County as a whole is about 86% White, so the school skews meaningfully less White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, The school currently runs with 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.2:1. The state averages around 11.9:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Roughly 76% of students at Orchard School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Yellowstone County runs at roughly 48%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat above the surrounding baseline.

Zooming out to the county, Yellowstone County reports that median household income runs about $76,570, about 34% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Orchard School is one of 68 public schools in Yellowstone County (combined enrollment of about 23,853 students).

Riverside Middle School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.3 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Orchard School.

The school occupies a high-density site.

Five-year trend. Orchard School's enrollment has fell 7% since 2018, when it stood at 367 (now 340).

Within the allk12 community for this school, members of the Orchard School community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.