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What do you wish you knew before starting at West Elementary School?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
503
Elementary
DISTRICT 378 · STATE 167
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BUTTE ELEM·NCES 300528000906
West Elementary School
800 S Emmett, Butte, MT 59701 · (406) 533-2700 · Silver Bow County
GRADES PK–06ELEMENTARY33-TOWNTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL503 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
16.3:1
31 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 16.0:1 · STATE 11.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
100%
503 students
DISTRICT 90% · STATE 58%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 63 | 13% |
| Kindergarten | 59 | 12% |
| Grade 1 | 64 | 13% |
| Grade 2 | 55 | 11% |
| Grade 3 | 80 | 16% |
| Grade 4 | 57 | 11% |
| Grade 5 | 67 | 13% |
| Grade 6 | 58 | 12% |
This year's kindergarten class (59) is about the same size as its 6th grade class (58).
Student demographics
31%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 28% · 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
Students here typically continue to
West Elementary School→East Middle School
Based on grade levels within Butte Elem. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
EDFacts (federal) 2020-21 . % Proficient (SY 20-21)English Language Arts
40.0%
MT avg 47.2%
Math
32.0%
MT avg 36.0%
What this means: On the EDFacts (federal), Montana's statewide test, about 40 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 32 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 West Elementary School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Elementary School this school | 503 | 100.0% | N/A |
| Whittier School Butte | 383 | 100.0% | N/A |
| East Evergreen School Kalispell | 360 | 100.0% | N/A |
| Lillian Peterson School Kalispell | 344 | 100.0% | N/A |
| Margaret Leary School Butte | 359 | 100.0% | N/A |
| Lincoln Primary Anaconda | 290 | 100.0% | N/A |
Matched among Montana elementary 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 West Elementary School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Montana | In Silver Bow County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 32.0% | #134 of 199 | #5 of 7 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 40.0% | #137 of 201 | #4 of 7 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 503 | #10 of 421 | #1 of 8 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.3:1 | #124 of 160 | #5 of 6 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 30.6% | #79 of 160 | #2 of 6 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 100% | #14 of 226 | #5 of 7 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +7.5% | #27 of 48 | N/A |
Ranked against other public elementary 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
503
+5 (+1%) vs 2020
-8% since 1990-91, when it was 547
Student : Teacher
16.3:1
was 15.1:1
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 | 503 | 30.8 | 16.3:1 | 100% (503) |
| 2023-24 | 489 | 31.3 | 15.6:1 | 100% (489) |
| 2022-23 | 473 | 31.6 | 14.9:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 498 | 33 | 15.1:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 468 | 34 | 13.8:1 | 100% (468) |
| 2015-16 | 531 | 35 | 15.2:1 | 100% (531) |
| 2010-11 | 477 | 26 | 18.4:1 | 57% (274) |
| 2000-01 | 355 | 19 | 18.7:1 | 49% (174) |
| 1990-91 | 547 | 25 | 21.9:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for West Elementary School.
Since 2017-18: students up 7% (468 to 503); teachers down 10% (34 to 30.8).
About West Elementary School
West Elementary School is one of the public schools in Butte, Montana. It is a large elementary school. Students in pre-K through 6 attend, and enrollment is 503 students. The typical figure for elementary schools in Montana is about 167 students.
The Butte Elem system has 7 schools and 2,929 students.
Federal enrollment data show West Elementary School is 83% White. The school is also 9% Hispanic, 4% multiracial, and 3% Native American. The White share of the county population is higher, at 91%. West Elementary School's diversity index is 31%, against a US figure of 70%.
Dividing enrollment by its 30.8 full-time-equivalent teachers gives a ratio of about 16.3:1. That is 4.4 students per teacher above the 11.9:1 average for elementary schools in Montana. West Elementary School reports 100% of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The rate at public schools in Silver Bow County averages 91%, lower than here.
Census estimates describe Silver Bow County this way: the median household income is $61,754, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 28%, and about 8% of people live in poverty. Besides West Elementary School, Silver Bow County has 11 other public schools.
Nearby, Butte High School is about 0.9 miles away. Within five miles of West Elementary School, there are 7 other public schools.
For locale, NCES codes West Elementary School as Town: Remote.
West Elementary School had 498 students in 2020-21 and 503 in 2024-25, nearly the same. From 2020-21 to 2024-25, the ratio rose from 15.1:1 to 16.3:1.
Questions about school safety, transportation, and start times can be posted here. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
Silver Bow County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
35,785
Census ACS
Median income
$61,754
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
28%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
12
4,364 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Butte Elem
- East Middle SchoolMiddle · 664 students
- Hillcrest SchoolElementary · 412 students
- Emerson SchoolElementary · 389 students
- Whittier SchoolElementary · 383 students
- Margaret Leary SchoolElementary · 359 students
- Kennedy SchoolElementary · 219 students
Other schools in Butte
- Butte High SchoolHigh · 1,266 students
- East Middle SchoolMiddle · 664 students
- Hillcrest SchoolElementary · 412 students
- Emerson SchoolElementary · 389 students
- Whittier SchoolElementary · 383 students
- Margaret Leary SchoolElementary · 359 students
Other West Elementary schools
50 other US public schools in 25 states are named West Elementary. West Elementary School is the 14th largest of the 51.
- West ElementaryGreat Falls, MT · 421 students
- West ElementaryMt Juliet, TN · 849 students
- West ElementaryBixby, OK · 757 students
- West Elementary SchoolCYPRESS, TX · 740 students
- West Elementary SchoolRussellville, AL · 686 students
Nearby schools
- Butte High School0.9 mi · 1,266
- Kennedy School1.0 mi · 219
- Emerson School1.9 mi · 389
- East Middle School2.7 mi · 664
- Whittier School2.9 mi · 383
- Margaret Leary School3.4 mi · 359
Frequently asked questions
About West Elementary SchoolHow many students attend West Elementary School?
West Elementary School enrolls approximately 503 students in grades PK-06.
What grades does West Elementary School serve?
West Elementary School serves grades PK-06.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at West Elementary School is approximately 16.3:1 (31 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at West Elementary School?
At West Elementary School, the student body is approximately 83% White, 9% Hispanic, 2% Black, 0% Asian, 4% Two or more.
Is West Elementary School public or private?
West Elementary School is a public K-12 school, overseen by Butte Elem.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.