Glasgow Schools Show Strong Math Performance, Mixed Reading Results in New State Report Cards

New state accountability report cards for the 2024-25 school year show Glasgow Schools performing above the statewide average in several academic areas, particularly mathematics, while continuing to face challenges in reading and science achievement.

The reports, released through Montana’s ESSA accountability system, show Glasgow K-12 Schools serving 771 students with district-wide per-pupil spending of just over $12,800.

District-wide testing results indicate Glasgow students outperformed statewide averages in mathematics. Forty-three percent of Glasgow students scored at either the proficient or advanced level in math, compared to 36 percent statewide. District figures showed 26 percent proficient and 17 percent advanced.

Reading scores were somewhat lower. Thirty-eight percent of Glasgow students scored proficient or advanced in reading, compared to 44 percent statewide.

Science achievement was close to state averages, with 34 percent of Glasgow students reaching proficient or advanced levels, compared to 35 percent statewide.

All schools within the district received a “Universal Support” designation under Montana’s accountability system, meaning they were not identified for targeted or comprehensive intervention.

At Irle Elementary School, which serves 373 students in grades PK through 5, math scores were one of the district’s strongest areas. Fifty-four percent of students scored proficient or advanced in mathematics, well above the state average. Reading performance lagged behind state benchmarks, with 29 percent of students reaching proficient or advanced levels.

Glasgow Middle School, serving 179 students in grades 6 through 8, also posted strong math performance. Fifty-four percent of students scored proficient or advanced in mathematics, while 44 percent reached proficient or advanced levels in reading — essentially matching statewide performance.

Glasgow High School, which serves 219 students in grades 9 through 12, showed some of the district’s strongest advanced-level scores. In mathematics, 40 percent of students scored proficient or advanced, including 26 percent at the advanced level — double the statewide advanced rate of 13 percent.

High school reading scores also compared favorably with state averages. Fifty-three percent of Glasgow High School students scored proficient or advanced in reading, compared to 44 percent statewide. Nearly one-quarter of students scored at the advanced level in reading.

Science remained a challenge at the high school level. Thirty-four percent of students scored proficient or advanced in science, closely matching district-wide performance but slightly below the statewide average of 35 percent.

Per-pupil spending varied by school. Glasgow High School reported the highest spending in the district at nearly $15,000 per student, while Irle Elementary reported just over $11,200 per student.

The ESSA report cards are designed to provide parents and communities with a snapshot of student achievement, school accountability status, enrollment, and spending data across Montana schools.