Missoula H S

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.

Missoula, Montana - 4 schools

An equity score of 38/100 ranks Missoula H S #64 of 141 districts in Montana (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,212 per pupil, Missoula H S ranks #275 of 394 Montana districts by per-pupil spending (Montana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,966
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$13,212
Per-Pupil Spending
High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Missoula H S operates 4 public schools serving 3,966 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Montana. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 high 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 Missoula County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,212 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 394 Montana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Montana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 47.8% local, 38.4% state, and 13.8% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 38/100, ranked #64 of 141 in Montana against a state average of 38, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (27 AP courses district-wide), a 278.4:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 61.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.5% White, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Seeley-Swan High School, with a diversity index of 30.9/100.

Its largest campus is Sentinel High School, enrolling 1,365 students (35% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Seeley-Swan High School, at 85 students, a 16x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Sentinel High School accounts for 34.4% of all Missoula H S student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Missoula H S-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

Missoula H S school enrollment varies 16× across entities

Missoula H S school enrollment ranges from 85 students (lowest) to 1,365 students (highest), a spread of 1,280 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

Missoula H S student-counselor ratio is 278:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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 Variation between sub-units within Missoula H S is typically wider than the Missoula H S-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Missoula H S chronic absenteeism rate is 61.5% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

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

Where does the funding come from?

13.8%
Federal
38.4%
State
47.8%
Local

Funding Equity

38
Equity Score
64 / 141
State Rank
38
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Missoula H S.

White 84.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
African American 1.3%
Asian 1.3%
Multiracial 2.2%
Other 5.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 27.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Missoula H S's schools, above the Montana average of 23.6.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Seeley-Swan High School 30.9
  2. 2 Big Sky High School 29.8
  3. 3 Hellgate High School 27.6
  4. 4 Sentinel High School 23.3

Programs & Resources

3 / 4
Schools with AP
27 AP courses total
278.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
61.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Missoula H S

School Enrollment
Sentinel High School
1,365
Hellgate High School
1,262
Big Sky High School
1,148
Seeley-Swan High School
85

How Missoula H S Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Montana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Bozeman Elem Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Flathead H S Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Great Falls H S Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Kalispell Elem Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Butte Elem Smaller Lower spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Missoula H S

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 Missoula H S?

Missoula H S has 4 schools, including 4 high. Total enrollment is 3,966 students.

How much does Missoula H S spend per student?

Missoula H S spends $13,212 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #64 in Montana.

What is the demographic composition of Missoula H S?

Missoula H S students are 84.5% White, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American, 1.3% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Missoula H S?

Missoula H S has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #64 out of 141 districts in Montana.