1
Enrollment
477
Middle
DISTRICT 358 · STATE 139
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·POLSON ELEM·NCES 302106000632
Polson Middle School
1602 2nd Street West, Polson, MT 59860 · (406) 883-6335 · Lake County
GRADES 05–08MIDDLE33-TOWNTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL477 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
16.1:1
30 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 14.7:1 · STATE 11.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
55%
262 students
DISTRICT 65% · STATE 58%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 | 115 | 24% |
| Grade 6 | 146 | 31% |
| Grade 7 | 105 | 22% |
| Grade 8 | 111 | 23% |
Student demographics
56%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 54% · STATE 40% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within Polson Elem. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
EDFacts (federal) 2020-21 . % Proficient (SY 20-21)English Language Arts
38.0%
MT avg 47.2%
Math
23.0%
MT avg 36.0%
What this means: On the EDFacts (federal), Montana's statewide test, about 38 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 23 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Montana schools, those numbers are about 47 and 36.
Source: EDFacts (federal). All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Schools most like Polson Middle School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polson Middle School this school | 477 | 54.9% | N/A |
| North Middle School Great Falls | 764 | 44.0% | N/A |
| Hamilton Middle School Hamilton | 460 | 52.4% | N/A |
| Medicine Crow Middle School Billings | 517 | 60.7% | N/A |
| Laurel Middle School Laurel | 506 | 44.9% | N/A |
| Washington Middle School Glendive | 246 | 49.2% | N/A |
Matched among Montana middle schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Polson Middle School ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 23.0% | #56 of 75 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 38.0% | #58 of 78 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 477 | #21 of 227 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.1:1 | #26 of 46 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 55.5% | #3 of 46 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 54.9% | #29 of 78 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -11.3% | #12 of 24 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
477
-88 (-16%) vs 2020
+38% since 1990-91, when it was 345
Student : Teacher
16.1:1
was 16.1:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 477 | 29.6 | 16.1:1 | 55% (262) |
| 2023-24 | 495 | 32.3 | 15.3:1 | 49% (242) |
| 2022-23 | 524 | 33.1 | 15.8:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 565 | 35 | 16.1:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 538 | 33.6 | 16.0:1 | 54% (288) |
| 2015-16 | 274 | 18 | 15.2:1 | 49% (133) |
| 2010-11 | 267 | 19 | 14.1:1 | 53% (141) |
| 2000-01 | 282 | 17 | 16.6:1 | 39% (111) |
| 1990-91 | 345 | 16 | 21.6:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Polson Middle School.
Since 2017-18: students down 11% (538 to 477); teachers down 12% (33.6 to 29.6).
About Polson Middle School
As a high-enrollment middle-grades school, Polson Middle School serves students in Polson, Montana. The grade span is 5 through 8, and enrollment is 477 students. Average enrollment for middle schools in Montana is about 139, so this school runs 243% larger than that.
Polson Elem counts 3 schools and 1,075 students, including Polson Middle School.
Polson Middle School's enrollment is 55% White. The next largest groups are 38% Native American, 4% Hispanic, and 2% multiracial. In Lake County overall, about 66% of residents are White. The chance that two students picked at random at Polson Middle School belong to different racial or ethnic groups, known as the diversity index, is 56%.
Polson Middle School's 29.6 full-time-equivalent teachers put its ratio at 16.1:1. For comparison, middle schools in Montana average 11.3:1. Eligibility for subsidized school meals is 55%. The gap from the 83% average for public schools in Lake County is 28 points.
Recent Census Bureau figures for Lake County show that median household income is about $63,360, 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 12% of people live in poverty. Federal data list 21 public schools in Lake County, with a combined enrollment of about 4,302.
The closest public school, Polson High School, is about 0.1 miles from Polson Middle School. Within five miles are 3 other public schools.
Locale data from NCES put Polson Middle School in a town far from an urbanized area (Town: Remote).
Enrollment was 565 in 2020-21 and 477 in 2024-25, a decrease of 88 students.
Discussions about Polson Middle School may include sports tryouts, band and choir, and theater. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.
Lake County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
32,561
Census ACS
Median income
$63,360
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
32%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
12%
Below federal line
Schools in county
21
4,302 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Polson Elem
- Linderman SchoolElementary · 355 students
- Cherry Valley SchoolElementary · 243 students
Other schools in Polson
- Polson High SchoolHigh · 517 students
- Linderman SchoolElementary · 355 students
- Cherry Valley SchoolElementary · 243 students
- Valley View SchoolElementary · 35 students
Nearby schools
- Polson High School0.1 mi · 517
- Cherry Valley School0.5 mi · 243
- Linderman School1.0 mi · 355
- Pablo Elementary5.9 mi · 229
- Two Eagle River School6.1 mi · 136
- Valley View School6.4 mi · 35
Frequently asked questions
About Polson Middle SchoolHow large is Polson Middle School?
Polson Middle School enrolls approximately 477 students in grades 05-08.
Is Polson Middle School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Polson Middle School is a middle school covering grades 05-08.
How many teachers does Polson Middle School have?
Polson Middle School employs 30 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 16.1:1.
What is the student diversity at Polson Middle School?
Student demographics at Polson Middle School are roughly 55% White, 4% Hispanic, 1% Black, 1% Asian, 2% Two or more.
What district is Polson Middle School in?
Polson Middle School is part of Polson Elem.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.