Fort Benton Elementary

Public school district · Chouteau County · Montana · NCES district ID 3011240

Fort Benton Elementary spent $11,145 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, below the middle: 88% of the other Montana districts with fewer than 1,000 students in fall 2022 spent more (median $16,778). Its 2 schools enrolled 206 students in 2024-25; 44.3% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $11,521 per student, up 3.4% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).

NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method

Spending per student among Montana districts of similar size

Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to Fort Benton Elementary in enrollment (236 to 258 students) and Fort Benton Elementary itself.

Current spending per student, Montana districts closest in size to Fort Benton Elementary, FY23Hays Lodgepole $27,782; Harlowton Public Schools $19,101; Victor K-12 Schools $17,242; Manhattan High School $15,042; Shepherd High School $14,115; Columbus High School $13,316; Choteau Elementary $12,192; Fort Benton Elementary $11,145; Centerville Public Schools $10,945; Lone Rock Elementary $10,484; State median, under 1,000 students $16,778.5k10k15k20k25k30kHays Lodgepole$27,782Harlowton Public Schools$19,101Victor K-12 Schools$17,242Manhattan High School$15,042Shepherd High School$14,115Columbus High School$13,316Choteau Elementary$12,192Fort Benton Elementary$11,145Centerville Public Schools$10,945Lone Rock Elementary$10,484State median, under 1,000 students $16,778
Current spending per student, Montana districts closest in size to Fort Benton Elementary, FY23Hays Lodgepole $27,782; Harlowton Public Schools $19,101; Victor K-12 Schools $17,242; Manhattan High School $15,042; Shepherd High School $14,115; Columbus High School $13,316; Choteau Elementary $12,192; Fort Benton Elementary $11,145; Centerville Public Schools $10,945; Lone Rock Elementary $10,484; State median, under 1,000 students $16,778.5k10k15k20k25k30kHays Lodgepole$27,782Harlowton Public Schools$19,101Victor K-12 Schools$17,242Manhattan High School$15,042Shepherd High School$14,115Columbus High School$13,316Choteau Elementary$12,192Fort Benton Elementary$11,145Centerville Public Schools$10,945Lone Rock Elementary$10,484State median, under 1,000 students $16,778
Current spending per student, Montana districts closest in size to Fort Benton Elementary, FY23Hays Lodgepole $27,782; Harlowton Public Schools $19,101; Victor K-12 Schools $17,242; Manhattan High School $15,042; Shepherd High School $14,115; Columbus High School $13,316; Choteau Elementary $12,192; Fort Benton Elementary $11,145; Centerville Public Schools $10,945; Lone Rock Elementary $10,484; State median, under 1,000 students $16,778.5k15k25k30kHays Lodgepole$27,782Harlowton Public Schools$19,101Victor K-12 Schools$17,242Manhattan High School$15,042Shepherd High School$14,115Columbus High School$13,316Choteau Elementary$12,192Fort Benton Elementary$11,145Centerville Public Schools$10,945Lone Rock Elementary$10,484State median, under 1,000 students $16,778
Current spending per student, Montana districts closest in size to Fort Benton Elementary, FY23Hays Lodgepole $27,782; Harlowton Public Schools $19,101; Victor K-12 Schools $17,242; Manhattan High School $15,042; Shepherd High School $14,115; Columbus High School $13,316; Choteau Elementary $12,192; Fort Benton Elementary $11,145; Centerville Public Schools $10,945; Lone Rock Elementary $10,484; State median, under 1,000 students $16,778.5k15k25k30kHays Lodgepole$27,782Harlowton Public Schools$19,101Victor K-12 Schools$17,242Manhattan High School$15,042Shepherd High School$14,115Columbus High School$13,316Choteau Elementary$12,192Fort Benton Elementary$11,145Centerville Public Schools$10,945Lone Rock Elementary$10,484State median, under 1,000 students $16,778

Where the money came from

$3,019,000 in revenue: 44.3% state, 37.5% local and 18.2% federal. Total spending including $14,000 of capital outlay was $2,802,000, or $11,253 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.

Fort Benton Elementary revenue by source, fiscal year 2022-23State $1,337,000; Local $1,132,000; Federal $550,000; total $3,019,000.
  • State$1,337,000 44%
  • Local$1,132,000 37%
  • Federal$550,000 18%

Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 361 districts with fewer than 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).

Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25

249 students in 2022-23, 234 students in 2023-24, 206 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.

Fort Benton Elementary enrollment by school year2022-23: 249, 2023-24: 234, 2024-25: 20601002003002022-232492023-242342024-25206
Fort Benton Elementary enrollment by school year2022-23: 249, 2023-24: 234, 2024-25: 20601002003002022-232492023-242342024-25206
Fort Benton Elementary enrollment by school year2022-23: 249, 2023-24: 234, 2024-25: 20601002003002022-232492023-242342024-25206
Fort Benton Elementary enrollment by school year2022-23: 249, 2023-24: 234, 2024-25: 20601002003002022-232492023-242342024-25206

Teachers and students per teacher

School yearStudentsTeachers (FTE)Per teacher
2022-2324918.913.1
2023-2423418.013.0
2024-2520615.413.4

Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.

$625,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $2,510 per student

Fort Benton Elementary booked $625,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 19 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $32,982 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 1 in 100 Montana districts with a figure (state median $53,321, 282 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Montana teacher salary at $53,628 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).

ProgramTeacher salariesShare
Regular programs$556,00089.0%
Special education$64,00010.2%
Vocational$5,0000.8%

Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23

The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,013 in 2018-19, $2,937 in 2019-20, $2,796 in 2020-21, $2,033 in 2021-22, $2,510 in 2022-23.

Fort Benton Elementary teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,013, 2019-20: $2,937, 2020-21: $2,796, 2021-22: $2,033, 2022-23: $2,51001k2k3k4k2018-19$3,0132019-20$2,9372020-21$2,7962021-22$2,0332022-23$2,510
Fort Benton Elementary teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,013, 2019-20: $2,937, 2020-21: $2,796, 2021-22: $2,033, 2022-23: $2,51001k2k3k4k2018-19$3,0132019-20$2,9372020-21$2,7962021-22$2,0332022-23$2,510
Fort Benton Elementary teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,013, 2019-20: $2,937, 2020-21: $2,796, 2021-22: $2,033, 2022-23: $2,51001k2k3k4k2018-19$3,0132019-20$2,9372020-21$2,7962021-22$2,0332022-23$2,510
Fort Benton Elementary teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $3,013, 2019-20: $2,937, 2020-21: $2,796, 2021-22: $2,033, 2022-23: $2,51001k2k3k4k2018-19$3,0132019-20$2,9372020-21$2,7962021-22$2,0332022-23$2,510

Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).

State test results, 2021-22

In 2021-22, the students tested in Fort Benton Elementary scored proficient or above: 65-69% in reading and 65-69% in math, against 45.7% in reading and 35.2% in math across Montana. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Montana, not across states.

Students proficient or above, 2021-22
SubjectThis districtMontanaStudents tested
Reading and language arts65-69%45.7%154
Math65-69%35.2%153

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.

1 elementary school, 162 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Fort Benton School16214.332.1%Targeted program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

1 middle school, 44 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Fort Benton 7-84410.929.5%Targeted program

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.

Contact Fort Benton Elementary

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.

What to look at next about Fort Benton Elementary

  1. Montana districts by spending per studentFort Benton Elementary ranks 319 of 361 Montana districts with fewer than 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($11,145).#319 of 361
  2. Every school district in MontanaFort Benton Elementary is the number 121 by size of 398 Montana districts, with 249 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#121 of 398
  3. Shepherd High SchoolThe next larger Montana district: 253 students in fall 2022, $14,115 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$14,115
  4. Hays Lodgepole School DistrictThe next smaller Montana district: 248 students in fall 2022, $27,782 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$27,782
  5. Compare Fort Benton Elementary with Shepherd High SchoolEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
  6. Teacher salary spending across MontanaFort Benton Elementary spent $32,982 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $53,321); spending, not a salary.$32,982
  7. Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.

Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).

Questions about Fort Benton Elementary

  1. How many schools and students are in Fort Benton Elementary?
    2 schools were open in 2024-25 (1 elementary, 1 middle), enrolling 206 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.
  2. How much does Fort Benton Elementary spend per student?
    $11,145 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Montana median for districts with fewer than 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $16,778 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $11,521 per student, up 3.4% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).
  3. Where does Fort Benton Elementary's money come from?
    $3,019,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 44.3% state, 37.5% local and 18.2% federal (NCES F-33).
  4. How many children in Fort Benton Elementary live in poverty?
    The Census Bureau estimates that 9 of the 153 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 5.9%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.
  5. How much does Fort Benton Elementary spend on teacher salaries?
    $625,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $2,510 per student. Divided by the 19 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $32,982 per teacher, more than 1 in 100 Montana districts (state median $53,321). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Montana teacher salary at $53,628 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
  6. How do students in Fort Benton Elementary do on state tests?
    In 2021-22, the students tested in Fort Benton Elementary scored proficient or above: 65-69% in reading and 65-69% in math, against 45.7% in reading and 35.2% in math across Montana. Montana's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.
  7. What is Fort Benton Elementary's NCES district ID?
    3011240. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.

Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.

Sources

Every federal file behind this record
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
  • NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
  • Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
  • EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
  • EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
  • NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
  • NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
  • U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25

Compiled from official source data by .