- Enrollment
- 764
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Great Falls, MT
Meadow Lark School
Federal NCES profile for Meadow Lark School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 301304000367
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Meadow Lark School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Montana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Montana.
- #16 of 17
- schools in Great Falls · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22:1
- large classes for Montana
- 527
- students enrolled
Meadow Lark School has class sizes larger than 99% of Montana schools. Computed live against every Montana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Meadow Lark School ranks #16 of 17 schools in Great Falls, MT.
School address
District: Great Falls Elem · Montana
NCES ID 301304000367 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-24 students YoY
Meadow Lark School held near 531 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-24 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 24.5 → 24.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-24 students YoY 301304000367 · Great Falls, MT Other · MID · TRAD
527 enr · 22:1 · RII 27
Nearest enrollment peer: East Middle School (764 students)
Meadow Lark School held near 531 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-24 headcount). Teacher FTE held 24.5 → 24.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Montana schools → · Find another →
Meadow Lark School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- East Middle Sc
East Middle School
764 students
- North Middle S
North Middle School
764 students
- This school
Meadow Lark School
527 students
- Riverview Scho
Riverview School
445 students
- Giant Springs
Giant Springs Elementary
431 students
- West Elementar
West Elementary
421 students
What this shows Meadow Lark School reports 527 students on the CCD universe file.
How Meadow Lark School compares
Meadow Lark 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 | 22:1 | ▲ 86% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 527 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
527
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
22:1
students per teacher
- 86% above state mean
Top 99% in Montana - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
29.6%
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
$12,146
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 527 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 84.6%
Two or More 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 6.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 84.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.6, Meadow Lark School is more mixed than the Montana school average of 23.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Great Falls Elem reports $12,146 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Meadow Lark School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Riverview School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Giant Springs Elementary | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Elementary | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Meadow Lark School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 764
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 445
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 431
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 421
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Great Falls
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Riverview School
Standard public school
445 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Giant Springs Elementary
Standard public school
431 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
West Elementary
Standard public school
421 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Sacajawea School
Standard public school
405 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Sunnyside School
Standard public school
396 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Loy School
Standard public school
392 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
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.
Similar enrollment (~527 students)
Frequently asked questions about Meadow Lark School
How many students attend Meadow Lark School?
Meadow Lark School has 527 students enrolled. It is a public school in Great Falls, MT. CCD year-over-year: 555 (2022-23) → 531 (2023-24), nearly flat (-24).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Meadow Lark School?
The student-teacher ratio at Meadow Lark School is 22:1, which is 86% higher than the Montana average of 11.8:1 and 40% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Meadow Lark School?
The largest demographic group at Meadow Lark School is White at 84.6% of enrollment, in Great Falls, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Meadow Lark School?
Meadow Lark School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Meadow Lark School rank among schools in Great Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Meadow Lark School ranks #16 of 17 schools in Great Falls, MT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Great Falls on the city page.
What other schools are in Great Falls Elem?
Besides Meadow Lark School, Great Falls Elem also operates East Middle School (764 students), North Middle School (764 students), and Riverview School (445 students). See the Great Falls Elem district page for the complete list.