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C

Powell County High School District

Public school districtGrades 9–12

Serves Deer Lodge, and parts of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County.

Deer Lodge’s School Grade C+ better than 40% of Montana school districts

Students
181
Schools
1
Spent per student
$21,689
MT $13,570
Students per teacher
10:1
Free or reduced lunch
49%
Debt
$2.9M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Powell County High School District

  • Its letter, C: results better than 32% of Montana districts
  • Graduation rate 11 pts below the state
  • Spends 60% more per student than the MT average
  • 10 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 16% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $2.9M, about $15,834 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C: better than 32% of the 241 Montana school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math close to the state, 2021–22
B−
GraduationFour-year graduation well below the state, class of 2023
D
The town it serves, and its School Grade
C+Deer Lodge 3,025

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Deer Lodge. Grade by grade →

PK–6O D Speer SchoolDeer Lodge Elementary School District
7–8E F Duvall 7-8Deer Lodge Elementary School District
9–12Powell County High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. MT

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency30–39%
State average 35.2% · 31 students tested
Reading / language arts40–49%
State average 45.7% · 31 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)70–79%
State average 85.5% · 39 in the class

84% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$21,689 per student · 60% above MT
Spending
Classroom instruction 65%Support & administration 35%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 62%State 32%Federal 6%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
156’20
175’21
186’22
183’23
181’24

Up 16% since 2020–21.

Students
White 92%Two or more races 3%Asian 2%Hispanic 2%Black <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%

Schools in the district

1 public school. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Montana’s other public schools.

Powell County High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Deer Lodge
C−
181 students10:1

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Montana.