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A−

Sun River Valley Elementary School District

Public school districtGrades PK–8Regional · 4 towns

Serves Simms, Fort Shaw, Sun River and Cascade Colony.

Simms’ Schools page →

Students
154
Schools
3
Spent per student
$15,006
MT $13,570
Students per teacher
10:1
Free or reduced lunch
43%
The gist

What stands out about Sun River Valley Elementary School District

  • Its letter, A−: results better than 78% of Montana districts
  • Math proficiency 12 pts above the state
  • Reading proficiency 6 pts above the state
  • Spends 11% more per student than the MT average
  • 10 students per teacher
  • Enrollment down 5.5% since 2020–21
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

A−: better than 78% 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 well above the state, 2021–22
A−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
Simms 334Fort Shaw 207Sun River 72Cascade Colony 44

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Simms. Grade by grade →

PK–82 schoolsThis district
9–12Simms High SchoolSimms High School District

Test scores vs. MT

2021–22
Math proficiency45–49%
State average 35.2% · 118 students tested
Reading / language arts50–54%
State average 45.7% · 118 students tested

98% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Graduation rate 90% at Simms High School District, which runs the high school (state 85.5%) · class of 2023.

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
$15,006 per student · 11% above MT
Spending
Classroom instruction 53%Support & administration 37%Other 10%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 45%State 43%Federal 12%

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

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

Enrollment over time
163’20
166’21
178’22
175’23
154’24

Down 5.5% since 2020–21.

Students
White 85%American Indian/Alaska Native 6%Two or more races 5%Hispanic 2%Asian 1%Black <1%

Schools in the district

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

Fort Shaw Elem School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Fort Shaw
A−
88 students9:1
Cascade Colony School
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Sun River
11 students10:1
Sun River Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Simms
B
55 students12:1

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.