State of Montana Newsroom
Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Releases Final 2021 Fall Enrollment Numbers
HELENA – Superintendent Elsie Arntzen released the final 2021-2022 public school enrollment data. Montana public schools are required to send enrollment data, per Montana statute, to the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) to calculate school funding. These enrollment numbers are part of the Average Number Belonging (ANB) calculation, through our state public school funding formula.
During 2020-2021, school year enrollment numbers dropped by 2.4% due to COVID. The final fall enrollment number shows that public school enrollment has returned to pre-COVID levels:
- The final fall Montana public school enrollment is 149,198, a 2.5% increase over last year
- Public K-8 enrollment is 103, 836, an increase of 7% over last year
- Public high school enrollment is 44,588, an increase of 4% over last year
“Our Montana students and families are returning to our public schools, which reinforces the priority of learning,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “Last spring’s test scores in math were 34% proficient and in reading were 46% proficient. These test scores don’t reflect the true learning of our students, and as we return to the classroom we must prioritize the basics of math and reading.”
Montana’s K-8 grade levels grew the most, with kindergarten being the highest growing single grade, while grades 6 and 7 had slight drops.
Public school enrollment over the last eight years reflects the population movement level of Montana.
- Student enrollment in Gallatin County since the 2014-2015 school year has grown by 15.3%
- Flathead County public school enrollment has grown by 9.4% since the 2014-2015 school year
- Rosebud County public school enrollment dropped 6.5% since the 2014-2015 school year
- Toole County public school enrollment dropped 5.4% since the 2014-2015 school year
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