Enrollment
471
Montana · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 300711000196
Glacier Gateway Elem — Columbia Falls, MT
Federal NCES profile for Glacier Gateway Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 32/100.
👥 Class size 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 6
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: Columbia Falls 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)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 12.1:1 Montana avg
+15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Glacier Gateway Elem 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
Glacier Gateway Elem reports 471 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 34.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 15% 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 13% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Counselor coverage works out to roughly 471 students per counselor, above the ASCA-recommended ceiling of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 37.6% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Columbia Falls Elem spends $25,195 per pupil district-wide, above the Montana average of $21,538 and above the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 43.9% from local sources (property taxes), 37.7% from the state, and 18.3% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (F), 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 Glacier Gateway Elem 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 | 13.9:1 | ▲ 15% | 12.1:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Enrollment | 471 | top 92% | — | — |
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
13.9:1
students per teacher
— 15% above state mean
Top 62% in Montana — lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
37.6%
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
$25,195
per pupil, district-wide
— above Montana avg of $21,538
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 471 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 471 Top 92% in Montana — larger than 8% of 826 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 34.0
Students per teacher 13.9:1 +15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID 300711000196
Student demographics
White 86.0%
Two or More 7.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 86.0% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Gifted & talented Yes
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 471:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 37.6%
In-school suspensions 13
Out-of-school suspensions 11
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbia Falls Elem, which includes Glacier Gateway Elem.
$25,195
Per student
+17%
vs Montana
Avg $21,538
+29%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 43.9%
State 37.7%
Federal 18.3%
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
- 547
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Enrollment
- 487
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
Similar other schools in Columbia Falls
2 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 Glacier Gateway Elem
How many students attend Glacier Gateway Elem?
Glacier Gateway Elem has 471 students enrolled. It is a other school in Columbia Falls, MT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Glacier Gateway Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Glacier Gateway Elem is 13.9:1, which is 15% higher than the Montana average of 12.1:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.9:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Glacier Gateway Elem?
The largest demographic group at Glacier Gateway Elem is White at 86.0%. The school serves a diverse student body in Columbia Falls, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Glacier Gateway Elem?
Glacier Gateway Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (F) 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.