Swan River Elem

Bigfork, Montana — 2 schools

191
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$10,257
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Swan River Elem operates 2 public schools serving 191 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 158 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 $10,257 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 27.2% local, 50.2% state, and 22.6% 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 $51,337 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts.

a 158:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 64.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 87.6% White, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% African American across the district's schools.

Swan River School accounts for 67.1% of all Swan River Elem student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Swan River 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

Swan River Elem student-counselor ratio is 158:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Swan River Elem chronic absenteeism rate is 64.8% — 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?

22.6%
Federal
50.2%
State
27.2%
Local

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

$51,337
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 Swan River Elem.

White 87.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.8%
African American 0.9%
Multiracial 6.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

158:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
64.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Swan River Elem

School Enrollment
Swan River School
106
Swan River 6-8
52

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

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Swan River Elem?

Swan River Elem has 2 schools, including 1 other, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 191 students.

How much does Swan River Elem spend per student?

Swan River Elem spends $10,257 per student.

What is the average teacher salary in Swan River Elem?

The average teacher salary in Swan River Elem is $51,337 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Swan River 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 Swan River Elem?

Swan River Elem students are 87.6% White, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

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