Smith Valley Elem

Kalispell, Montana — 2 schools

224
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$11,845
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Smith Valley Elem operates 2 public schools serving 224 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Montana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 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 190 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 $11,845 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 29.4% local, 51.6% state, and 19.0% 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 $77,260 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 27/100, ranked #105 of 141 in Montana against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 273.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 56.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.9% White, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% Asian across the district's schools.

Smith Valley Primary Schl accounts for 77.9% of all Smith Valley Elem student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Smith Valley Elem-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. 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

Smith Valley Elem student-counselor ratio is 273:1 — 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 Smith Valley Elem is typically wider than the Smith Valley Elem-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Smith Valley Elem chronic absenteeism rate is 56.5% — 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.

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

Where does the funding come from?

19.0%
Federal
51.6%
State
29.4%
Local

Funding Equity

27
Equity Score
105 / 141
State Rank
38
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Flathead County county, where this district is located.

$1,267
Studio/mo
$1,289
1 BR/mo
$1,691
2 BR/mo
$2,224
3 BR/mo
$2,837
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$77,260
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Smith Valley Elem.

White 84.9%
Hispanic or Latino 4.3%
Multiracial 9.0%
Other 1.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

273.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
56.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Smith Valley Elem

School Enrollment
Smith Valley Primary Schl
148
Smith Valley 7-8
42

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 · $13,071/pupil
Compare vs Smith Valley Elem →
Great Falls Elem
7,032 students · 17 schools · $13,469/pupil
Compare vs Smith Valley Elem →
Billings H S
5,610 students · 3 schools · $12,352/pupil
Compare vs Smith Valley Elem →
Missoula Elem
5,280 students · 12 schools · $13,532/pupil
Compare vs Smith Valley Elem →
Helena Elem
5,225 students · 13 schools · $14,602/pupil
Compare vs Smith Valley Elem →

Compare Smith Valley 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 Smith Valley Elem?

Smith Valley Elem has 2 schools, including 1 other, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 224 students.

How much does Smith Valley Elem spend per student?

Smith Valley Elem spends $11,845 per student. The district has an equity score of 27/100, ranking #105 in Montana.

What is the average teacher salary in Smith Valley Elem?

The average teacher salary in Smith Valley Elem is $77,260 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Smith Valley 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 Smith Valley Elem?

Smith Valley Elem students are 84.9% White, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Smith Valley Elem?

Smith Valley Elem has an equity score of 27/100, ranking #105 out of 141 districts in Montana. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.