Big Horn County School District #1

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Cowley, Wyoming - 6 schools

An equity score of 55/100 ranks Big Horn County School District #1 #18 of 44 districts in Wyoming (state average 51). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $19,703 per pupil, Big Horn County School District #1 ranks #25 of 48 Wyoming districts by per-pupil spending (Wyoming districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,238
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$19,703
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Big Horn County School District #1 operates 6 public schools serving 1,238 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Wyoming. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 2 combined, 2 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Big Horn County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,703 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 48 Wyoming districts by per-pupil spending. See how Wyoming compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 11.3% local, 80.8% state, and 7.9% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 55/100, ranked #18 of 44 in Wyoming against a state average of 51, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 375.3:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 23.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 82.0% White, 13.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Rocky Mountain Elementary, with a diversity index of 41.6/100.

Its largest campus is Rocky Mountain High School, enrolling 439 students (35% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Burlington Middle School, at 52 students, a 8x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Rocky Mountain High School accounts for 35.1% of all Big Horn County School District #1 student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Big Horn County School District #1-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. 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

Big Horn County School District #1 school enrollment varies 8.4× across entities

Big Horn County School District #1 school enrollment ranges from 52 students (lowest) to 439 students (highest), a spread of 387 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Big Horn County School District #1 student-counselor ratio is 375:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Big Horn County School District #1 chronic absenteeism rate is 23.1% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Big Horn County School District #1 is typically wider than the Big Horn County School District #1-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

7.9%
Federal
80.8%
State
11.3%
Local

Funding Equity

55
Equity Score
18 / 44
State Rank
51
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 6 schools in Big Horn County School District #1.

White 82.0%
Hispanic or Latino 13.1%
Multiracial 3.0%
Other 1.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 30.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Big Horn County School District #1's schools, below the Wyoming average of 33.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Rocky Mountain Elementary 41.6
  2. 2 Rocky Mountain Middle School 36.9
  3. 3 Burlington Middle School 32.7
  4. 4 Rocky Mountain High School 27.3
  5. 5 Burlington Elementary 25.9

Programs & Resources

375.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
23.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Big Horn County School District #1

School Enrollment
Rocky Mountain High School
439
Rocky Mountain Elementary
322
Rocky Mountain Middle School
250
Burlington Elementary
119
Burlington High School
69
Burlington Middle School
52

How Big Horn County School District #1 Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Wyoming districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Crook County School District #1 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Johnson County School District #1 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Sheridan County School District #1 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Washakie County School District #1 Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Laramie County School District #2 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Big Horn County School District #1's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Wyoming

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

Compare Big Horn County School District #1

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

Compare vs Laramie County School District #1 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Big Horn County School District #1?

Big Horn County School District #1 has 6 schools, including 2 high, 2 combined, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 1,238 students.

How much does Big Horn County School District #1 spend per student?

Big Horn County School District #1 spends $19,703 per student. The district has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #18 in Wyoming.

What is the demographic composition of Big Horn County School District #1?

Big Horn County School District #1 students are 82.0% White, 13.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Big Horn County School District #1?

Big Horn County School District #1 has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #18 out of 44 districts in Wyoming.