Columbia Falls Elem operates 3 public schools serving 1,562 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 1,505 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Flathead County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $25,195 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 43.9% local, 37.7% state, and 18.3% 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 $69,942 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 46/100, ranked #45 of 141 in Montana against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
a 410.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 41.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 85.6% White, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% Asian across the district's schools.
Columbia Falls Jr Hs accounts for 36.3% of all Columbia Falls Elem student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Columbia Falls Elem-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: middle. 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.
Columbia Falls Elem student-counselor ratio is 411:1 — 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.
Columbia Falls Elem chronic absenteeism rate is 41.8% — 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.
Columbia Falls Elem has 3 schools, including 1 middle, 2 other. Total enrollment is 1,562 students.
How much does Columbia Falls Elem spend per student?
Columbia Falls Elem spends $25,195 per student. The district has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #45 in Montana.
What is the average teacher salary in Columbia Falls Elem?
The average teacher salary in Columbia Falls Elem is $69,942 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Columbia Falls Elem?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Flathead County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Columbia Falls Elem?
Columbia Falls Elem students are 85.6% White, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Columbia Falls Elem?
Columbia Falls Elem has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #45 out of 141 districts in Montana. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.