Big Sky School K-12

Gallatin Gateway, Montana — 3 schools

432
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$32,408
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Big Sky School K-12 operates 3 public schools serving 432 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Montana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 other, 1 high, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 386 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Gallatin County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $32,408 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 83.8% local, 14.5% state, and 1.7% 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 $74,438 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 43/100, ranked #53 of 141 in Montana against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 151:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 41.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 87.4% White, 8.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian across the district's schools.

Ophir Elementary School accounts for 43.8% of all Big Sky School K-12 student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Big Sky School K-12-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

Big Sky School K-12 student-counselor ratio is 151:1 — 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

Big Sky School K-12 chronic absenteeism rate is 41.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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

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

Where does the funding come from?

1.7%
Federal
14.5%
State
83.8%
Local

Funding Equity

43
Equity Score
53 / 141
State Rank
38
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

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

$1,485
Studio/mo
$1,642
1 BR/mo
$2,154
2 BR/mo
$2,996
3 BR/mo
$3,537
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$74,438
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 Big Sky School K-12.

White 87.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.8%
Multiracial 2.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
151:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
41.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Big Sky School K-12

School Enrollment
Ophir Elementary School
169
Lone Peak High School
117
Ophir 7-8
100

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 Big Sky School K-12

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

Compare vs Billings Elem →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Big Sky School K-12?

Big Sky School K-12 has 3 schools, including 1 other, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 432 students.

How much does Big Sky School K-12 spend per student?

Big Sky School K-12 spends $32,408 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #53 in Montana.

What is the average teacher salary in Big Sky School K-12?

The average teacher salary in Big Sky School K-12 is $74,438 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Big Sky School K-12?

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

What is the demographic composition of Big Sky School K-12?

Big Sky School K-12 students are 87.4% White, 8.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Big Sky School K-12?

Big Sky School K-12 has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #53 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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Full national footprint

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Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
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Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.