Seeley Lake 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Seeley Lake, Montana - 2 schools

At $14,160 per pupil, Seeley Lake Elem ranks #250 of 393 Montana districts by per-pupil spending (Montana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

181
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$14,160
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Seeley Lake Elem operates 2 public schools serving 181 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Montana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 middle 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 $14,160 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 393 Montana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Montana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 40.5% local, 37.3% state, and 22.2% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one.

a 147.9:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 42.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 81.4% White, 9.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Seeley Lake Elementary, enrolling 122 students (77% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Seeley Lake 7-8, at 37 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Seeley Lake Elementary accounts for 67.4% of all Seeley Lake Elem student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Seeley Lake Elem a distant remainder — means Seeley Lake Elem-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Seeley Lake Elem student-counselor ratio is 148:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

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

Seeley Lake Elem chronic absenteeism rate is 42.6% — 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?

22.2%
Federal
37.3%
State
40.5%
Local

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Seeley Lake Elem.

White 81.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Multiracial 6.8%
Other 1.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

147.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
42.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Seeley Lake Elem

School Enrollment
Seeley Lake Elementary
122
Seeley Lake 7-8
37

How Seeley Lake Elem Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Montana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Blue Creek Elem Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Philipsburg K-12 Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Fairview Elem Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
St Regis K-12 Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Sun River Valley Elem Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Seeley Lake 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 · $12,015/pupil
Compare vs Seeley Lake Elem →
Great Falls Elem
7,032 students · 17 schools · $12,146/pupil
Compare vs Seeley Lake Elem →
Billings H S
5,610 students · 3 schools · $12,233/pupil
Compare vs Seeley Lake Elem →
Missoula Elem
5,280 students · 12 schools · $13,401/pupil
Compare vs Seeley Lake Elem →
Helena Elem
5,225 students · 13 schools · $13,752/pupil
Compare vs Seeley Lake Elem →

Compare Seeley Lake 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 Seeley Lake Elem?

Seeley Lake Elem has 2 schools, including 1 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 181 students.

How much does Seeley Lake Elem spend per student?

Seeley Lake Elem spends $14,160 per student.

What is the demographic composition of Seeley Lake Elem?

Seeley Lake Elem students are 81.4% White, 9.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.