Fishtail Elem

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.

Fishtail, Montana - 1 schools

At $23,214 per pupil, Fishtail Elem ranks #88 of 394 Montana districts by per-pupil spending (Montana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

13
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$23,214
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Fishtail Elem operates 1 public schools serving 13 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Montana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined 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 Stillwater County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $23,214 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 394 Montana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Montana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 42.8% local, 25.0% state, and 32.2% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one.

and 20.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 100.0% White across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Fishtail School, enrolling 15 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Fishtail School accounts for 100.0% of all Fishtail Elem student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Fishtail Elem a distant remainder — means Fishtail Elem-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Fishtail Elem chronic absenteeism rate is 20.0% — 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 Fishtail Elem is typically wider than the Fishtail Elem-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

32.2%
Federal
25.0%
State
42.8%
Local

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in Fishtail Elem.

White 100.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

20.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Fishtail Elem

School Enrollment
Fishtail School
15

How Fishtail Elem Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Montana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Alzada Elem Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Auchard Creek Elem Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Mccormick Elem Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Cohagen Elem Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Deerfield Elem Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Fishtail Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

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 · $12,537/pupil
Compare vs Fishtail Elem →
Great Falls Elem
7,032 students · 17 schools · $12,418/pupil
Compare vs Fishtail Elem →
Billings H S
5,610 students · 3 schools · $11,891/pupil
Compare vs Fishtail Elem →
Missoula Elem
5,280 students · 12 schools · $12,776/pupil
Compare vs Fishtail Elem →
Helena Elem
5,225 students · 13 schools · $13,560/pupil
Compare vs Fishtail Elem →

Compare Fishtail Elem

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 Fishtail Elem?

Fishtail Elem has 1 school, including 1 combined. Total enrollment is 13 students.

How much does Fishtail Elem spend per student?

Fishtail Elem spends $23,214 per student.

What is the demographic composition of Fishtail Elem?

Fishtail Elem students are 100.0% White, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.