Southwest Montana News

Margaret Leary School had a total attendance of 365 students during the 2020-21 school year, according to the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

Attendance at the school saw a 8.3 percent decrease from the previous school year.

According to data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment is projected to increase by seven percent in Montana from 2017 to 2029. The state expected to see the largest increase in enrollment is North Dakota, with a projected 16% increase. The state that is expected to see the largest decrease in enrollment is New Mexico, with a projected 12% decrease.

According to the findings of a study conducted by Montana Small Schools Alliance, student enrollment in Montana has a significant impact on a number of factors such as a decrease in school funding, elimination of faculty, and possible school consolidation or closure.

Ranking	School	Enrollment (2020-21)	Previous Year Enrollment (2019-20)
1	Flathead High School	1,607	1,516
2	Glacier High School	1,345	1,328
3	Butte High School	1,280	1,216
4	Sentinel High School	1,278	1,250
5	Hellgate High School	1,210	1,177
6	Big Sky High School	1,137	1,100
7	Belgrade Middle School	1,053	1,088
8	Kalispell Middle School	1,030	1,061
9	Belgrade High School	987	1,001
10	Sacajawea Middle School	830	862
11	East Middle School	809	831
12	North Middle School	759	787
13	Chief Joseph Middle School	742	760
14	Washington Middle School	668	666
15	East Middle School	647	650
16	Laurel High School	646	641
17	Browning High School	611	595
18	Porter Middle School	604	626
19	Laurel Middle School	590	636
20	Whitefish High School	588	579
…
55	Paxson School	416	475
55	Lockwood Middle School	416	412
57	Hillcrest School	413	419
57	Park High School	413	418
59	Sandstone School	411	421
60	Sidney High School	408	403
61	Heck/Quaw Elementary	405	438
62	Mountain View School	403	403
63	Lincoln School	396	434
64	Eagle Cliffs Elementary	395	430
65	Sacajawea School	391	406
66	Elder Grove School	390	396
67	Hawthorne School	385	431
68	Chief Charlo School	384	429
69	Havre Middle School	382	401
70	Huntley Project Elem K-6	375	412
71	Sunnyside School	373	399
72	Loy School	367	381
72	Ronan High School	367	335
74	Emerson School	366	413
75	Margaret Leary School	365	398
76	Lockwood Intermediate	361	394
77	Big Sky Elementary	357	401
78	Beartooth School	352	354
79	Harlem Elementary School	351	346
80	East Evergreen School	349	375
81	Frenchtown Elementary School	346	375
82	Russell School	345	388
83	Hellgate Middle School	344	357
84	Poplar School	341	369
85	Alkali Creek School	340	344
86	Shepherd Elementary	338	376
87	Cecelia Hazelton School	337	344
88	Longfellow School	336	282
89	Dawson High School	334	333
90	Fergus High School	332	306
91	Lillian Peterson School	328	348
92	Valley View School	324	339
93	Linderman School	318	310
94	Hawthorne School	315	363
94	Bigfork High School	315	339
…
463	North Harlem Elementary	9	13
463	Dixon 7-8	9	11
463	Willow Creek 7-8	9	10
463	King Colony School	9	9
463	Winnett 7-8	9	8
463	Alzada School	9	8
463	Reed Point 7-8	9	6
463	Benton Lake School	9	6
472	Augusta 7-8	8	9
472	Zenith Elementary	8	8
472	Spring Creek School	8	6
475	Denton High School	7	15
475	Hysham High School	7	13
475	Saco 7-8	7	10
475	Hysham 7-8	7	9
475	Divide School	7	7
475	Greycliff School	7	6
475	Ayers School	7	6
482	Jackson School	6	5
483	Carter School	5	11