Cardwell Elementary School District

80 Highway 359
Cardwell, MT 59721
(District boundaries shown in map)
6/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Cardwell Elementary School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Montana for:

Category
Attribute
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there is 1 public school serving 35 students in Cardwell Elementary School District. This district's average testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public schools in Montana.
Public School in Cardwell Elementary School District have an average math proficiency score of 50% (versus the Montana public school average of 37%), and reading proficiency score of 70% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 20% of the student body (majority Hispanic and American Indian), which is less than the Montana public school average of 24% (majority American Indian).

Overview

This School District
This State (MT)
# Schools
1 School
845 Schools
# Students
35 Students
147,515 Students
# Teachers
5 Teachers
10,737 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
7:1
7:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Cardwell Elementary School District, which is ranked within the top 5% of all 335 school districts in Montana (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
This School District
State Average (MT)
#151 out of 350 school districts
(Top 50%)
(21-22)
40-59%
35%
60-79%
46%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.35
0.40
% American Indian
6%
10%
% Asian
n/a
1%
% Hispanic
6%
7%
% Black
n/a
1%
% White
80%
76%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
8%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

This School District
This State (MT)
Total Revenue
$594,000
$2,285 MM
Spending
$523,000
$2,298 MM
Revenue / Student (91-92)
$4,396
$7,082
Spending / Student (91-92)
$3,377
$6,494

Best Cardwell Elementary School District Public Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Cardwell School
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: 60-79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
80 Highway 359
Cardwell, MT 59721
(406) 287-3321
Gr: PK-8 | 35 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Minority enrollment: 20%

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Cardwell Elementary School District?
Cardwell Elementary School District manages 1 public schools serving 35 students.
What is the rank of Cardwell Elementary School District?
Cardwell Elementary School District is ranked #13 out of 335 school districts in Montana (top 5%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Montana school districts for: Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%), Most diverse schools (Top 1%) and Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Cardwell Elementary School District?
80% of Cardwell Elementary School District students are White, 8% of students are Two or more races, 6% of students are American Indian, and 6% of students are Hispanic.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Cardwell Elementary School District?
Cardwell Elementary School District has a student/teacher ratio of 7:1, which is lower than the Montana state average of 14:1.

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 1 school
  • Grades: PK-08
  • Enrollment: 35 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 7:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 20%
  • : Top 50% in MT
  • : 40-59% (Btm 50%)
  • : 60-79% (Top 5%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MT Dept. of Education

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