Belt Elem

Belt, Montana — 3 schools

271
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$10,884
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Belt Elem operates 3 public schools serving 271 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Montana. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 other, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 257 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Cascade County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,884 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 37.5% local, 35.1% state, and 27.3% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $55,418 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 27/100, ranked #104 of 141 in Montana against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 157.7:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 8.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 94.9% White, 1.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian across the district's schools.

Belt School accounts for 69.3% of all Belt Elem student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Belt Elem-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Belt Elem school enrollment varies 7.4× across entities

Belt Elem school enrollment ranges from 24 students (lowest) to 178 students (highest), a spread of 154 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Belt Elem student-counselor ratio is 158:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Belt Elem chronic absenteeism rate is 8.5% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

27.3%
Federal
35.1%
State
37.5%
Local

Funding Equity

27
Equity Score
104 / 141
State Rank
38
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Cascade County county, where this district is located.

$960
Studio/mo
$979
1 BR/mo
$1,284
2 BR/mo
$1,786
3 BR/mo
$2,035
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$55,418
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Belt Elem.

White 94.9%
Hispanic or Latino 1.4%
Asian 1.0%
Other 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

157.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
8.5%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Belt Elem

School Enrollment
Belt School
178
Belt 7-8
55
Pleasant Valley School
24

Nearby Districts in Montana

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Billings Elem
10,988 students · 28 schools · $13,071/pupil
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Great Falls Elem
7,032 students · 17 schools · $13,469/pupil
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Billings H S
5,610 students · 3 schools · $12,352/pupil
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Missoula Elem
5,280 students · 12 schools · $13,532/pupil
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Helena Elem
5,225 students · 13 schools · $14,602/pupil
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Compare Belt Elem

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Belt Elem?

Belt Elem has 3 schools, including 2 other, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 271 students.

How much does Belt Elem spend per student?

Belt Elem spends $10,884 per student. The district has an equity score of 27/100, ranking #104 in Montana.

What is the average teacher salary in Belt Elem?

The average teacher salary in Belt Elem is $55,418 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Belt Elem?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cascade County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Belt Elem?

Belt Elem students are 94.9% White, 1.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian, 0.4% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Belt Elem?

Belt Elem has an equity score of 27/100, ranking #104 out of 141 districts in Montana. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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