Enrollment
243
Montana · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 302106000630
Cherry Valley School — Polson, MT
Federal NCES profile for Cherry Valley School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 42/100.
👥 Class size 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 0
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: Polson Elem · Montana
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13:1
vs 12.1:1 Montana avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cherry Valley School compares with Montana and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Cherry Valley School reports 243 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 21.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 13:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 7% above the Montana state mean of 12.1:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 18% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Counselor coverage works out to roughly 243 students per counselor, meeting the American School Counselor Association recommendation of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 73.7% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Polson Elem spends $12,655 per pupil district-wide, below the Montana average of $21,538 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 32.6% from local sources (property taxes), 39.5% from the state, and 27.9% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (D), calculated from 4 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Cherry Valley School compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Montana state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Montana | Montana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13:1 | ▲ 7% | 12.1:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Enrollment | 243 | top 73% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Staffing depth
13:1
students per teacher
— 7% above state mean
Top 55% in Montana — lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
73.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,655
per pupil, district-wide
— below Montana avg of $21,538
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 243 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 243 Top 73% in Montana — larger than 27% of 826 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 21.0
Students per teacher 13:1 +7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID 302106000630
Student demographics
White 62.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 30.9%
Two or More 3.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 62.6% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 243:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 73.7%
In-school suspensions 4
Out-of-school suspensions 8
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Polson Elem, which includes Cherry Valley School.
$12,655
Per student
-41%
vs Montana
Avg $21,538
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 32.6%
State 39.5%
Federal 27.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 477
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Enrollment
- 355
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
Similar other schools in Polson
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about Cherry Valley School
How many students attend Cherry Valley School?
Cherry Valley School has 243 students enrolled. It is a other school in Polson, MT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cherry Valley School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cherry Valley School is 13:1, which is 7% higher than the Montana average of 12.1:1 and 18% lower than the national average of 15.9:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cherry Valley School?
The largest demographic group at Cherry Valley School is White at 62.6%. The school serves a diverse student body in Polson, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cherry Valley School?
Cherry Valley School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (D) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.