Willow Creek 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.

Willow Creek, Montana - 2 schools

At $19,763 per pupil, Willow Creek Elem ranks #139 of 393 Montana districts by per-pupil spending (Montana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

38
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$19,763
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Willow Creek Elem operates 2 public schools serving 38 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 Gallatin County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,763 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 393 Montana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Montana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 40.3% local, 48.1% state, and 11.6% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one.

and 26.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 98.5% White, 1.5% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Willow Creek School, enrolling 33 students (79% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Willow Creek 7-8, at 9 students, a 4x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Willow Creek School accounts for 78.6% of all Willow Creek Elem student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Willow Creek Elem a distant remainder — means Willow Creek 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

Willow Creek Elem chronic absenteeism rate is 26.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Willow Creek Elem is typically wider than the Willow Creek Elem-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

11.6%
Federal
48.1%
State
40.3%
Local

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Willow Creek Elem.

White 98.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

26.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Willow Creek Elem

School Enrollment
Willow Creek School
33
Willow Creek 7-8
9

How Willow Creek Elem Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Montana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Froid H S Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Saco Elem Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Trinity Elem Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Turner Elem Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Power H S Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Willow Creek 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 Willow Creek Elem?

Willow Creek Elem has 2 schools, including 1 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 38 students.

How much does Willow Creek Elem spend per student?

Willow Creek Elem spends $19,763 per student.

What is the demographic composition of Willow Creek Elem?

Willow Creek Elem students are 98.5% White, 1.5% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.