Thompson Falls Elem

Thompson Falls, Montana — 2 schools

320
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$16,352
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Thompson Falls Elem operates 2 public schools serving 320 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 308 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Sanders County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,352 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 43.4% local, 36.9% state, and 19.7% 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 $73,138 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 48/100, ranked #40 of 141 in Montana against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 402.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 43.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 89.7% White, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Thompson Falls Elem Schl accounts for 77.9% of all Thompson Falls Elem student enrollment

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

Thompson Falls Elem student-counselor ratio is 403:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Thompson Falls Elem chronic absenteeism rate is 43.3% — 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?

19.7%
Federal
36.9%
State
43.4%
Local

Funding Equity

48
Equity Score
40 / 141
State Rank
38
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

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

$769
Studio/mo
$878
1 BR/mo
$1,115
2 BR/mo
$1,337
3 BR/mo
$1,803
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$73,138
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 Thompson Falls Elem.

White 89.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%
Multiracial 5.1%
Other 0.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

402.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
43.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Thompson Falls Elem

School Enrollment
Thompson Falls Elem Schl
240
Thompson Falls 7-8
68

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 Thompson Falls 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 Thompson Falls Elem?

Thompson Falls Elem has 2 schools, including 1 other, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 320 students.

How much does Thompson Falls Elem spend per student?

Thompson Falls Elem spends $16,352 per student. The district has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #40 in Montana.

What is the average teacher salary in Thompson Falls Elem?

The average teacher salary in Thompson Falls Elem is $73,138 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Thompson Falls Elem?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Sanders County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Thompson Falls Elem?

Thompson Falls Elem students are 89.7% White, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Thompson Falls Elem?

Thompson Falls Elem has an equity score of 48/100, ranking #40 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

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Full national footprint

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
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