Other / mixed grade configuration · Billings, MT

Independent School

Federal NCES profile for Independent School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.

2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 301482000455
0/100100/10039/100
👥 S:T ratio
40
🌟 Gifted program
70
🎓 Counselors
46
📋 Attendance
0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Independent School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Montana schools.

#9 of 30
schools in Billings · Resource Index
39
Resource Index · Typical
15.1:1
large classes for Montana
272
students enrolled

Independent School has class sizes larger than 78% of Montana schools. Computed live against every Montana school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Independent School ranks #9 of 30 schools in Billings, MT.

School address

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

+2 students YoY

Independent School held near 299 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount).

Teacher FTE lost 18.9 → 18.4 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Steady CCD campus

+2 students YoY 301482000455 · Billings, MT Other · SMALL · TRAD

272 enr · 15.1:1 · RII 39

Nearest enrollment peer: Eastwood Elementary School (272 students)

Independent School held near 299 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 18.9 → 18.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Montana schools → · Find another →

How Independent School compares

Independent School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Montana and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs Montana Montana avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 15.1:1 ▲ 28% 11.8:1 15.7:1
Enrollment 272 top 23% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
272
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher - 28% above state mean
Top 78% in Montana - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
45.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$9,953
per pupil, district-wide - below Montana avg of $19,859
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 272 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

White 80.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.8%
Two or More 4.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.6%
African American 0.4%

Largest group: White at 80.5% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 34.2/100

Simpson diversity index - at 34.2, Independent School is more mixed than the Montana school average of 23.6.

Programs

Gifted & talented Yes

District finance for Independent Elem reports $9,953 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

Similar other schools in Billings

6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.

Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.

Frequently asked questions about Independent School

How many students attend Independent School?

Independent School has 272 students enrolled. It is a public school in Billings, MT. CCD year-over-year: 297 (2022-23) → 299 (2023-24), nearly flat (+2).

What is the student-teacher ratio at Independent School?

The student-teacher ratio at Independent School is 15.1:1, which is 28% higher than the Montana average of 11.8:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independent School?

The largest demographic group at Independent School is White at 80.5% of enrollment, in Billings, MT.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Independent School?

Independent School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Independent School rank among schools in Billings?

By Resource Investment Index, Independent School ranks #9 of 30 schools in Billings, MT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Billings on the city page.

What other schools are in Independent Elem?

None reported; Independent Elem operates only Independent School as a public school district in NCES's records.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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