Enrollment
415
Montana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Missoula, MT
Paxson School
Federal NCES profile for Paxson School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 301857000576
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paxson School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Montana schools.
- #4 of 12
- schools in Missoula · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- large classes for Montana
- 415
- students enrolled
Paxson School has class sizes larger than 80% of Montana schools. Computed live against every Montana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paxson School ranks #4 of 12 schools in Missoula, MT.
School address
District: Missoula Elem · Montana
NCES ID 301857000576 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 11.8:1 Montana avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Paxson School compares with Montana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Paxson School
Paxson School is a large combined-grade school in Missoula, Montana, enrolling 415 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Montana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 415 puts it in the larger third of Montana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 826 scored Montana schools.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (9%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 346 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Missoula Elem spends $12,776 per pupil, 34% below the Montana average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 18.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Missoula's public schools, it stands alongside Jeannette Rankin El (457 students): Paxson School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 16.3:1).
Missoula Elem also operates Washington Middle School (669 students) and Porter Middle School (579 students) alongside Paxson School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Paxson School compares
Paxson School on the metrics families compare, against Montana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Montana | Montana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▲ 31% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 415 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
415
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 80% in Montana - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.3%
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
$12,776
per pupil, district-wide
- below Montana avg of $19,282
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.2 FTE
Per 346 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 76.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 8.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%
Two or More 4.6%
African American 1.7%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 76.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.4, Paxson School is more mixed than the Montana school average of 23.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Missoula Elem, which includes Paxson School.
$12,776
Per student
-34%
vs Montana
Avg $19,282
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.2%
State 39.6%
Federal 18.2%
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.
How Paxson School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Porter Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jeannette Rankin El | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lewis & Clark School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hawthorne School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paxson School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 669
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 457
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 429
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 417
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Missoula
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Jeannette Rankin El
Standard public school
457 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Lewis & Clark School
Standard public school
429 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Hawthorne School
Standard public school
417 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Chief Charlo School
Standard public school
414 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Target Range School
Standard public school
410 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Rattlesnake Elementary School
Standard public school
393 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Montana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~415 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Paxson School's federal record.
- Compare Paxson School against another school. Compare schools
- Missoula Elem's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Paxson School
How many students attend Paxson School?
Paxson School has 415 students enrolled. It is a public school in Missoula, MT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paxson School?
The student-teacher ratio at Paxson School is 15.4:1, which is 31% higher than the Montana average of 11.8:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paxson School?
The largest demographic group at Paxson School is White at 76.1% of enrollment, in Missoula, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paxson School?
Paxson School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Paxson School rank among schools in Missoula?
By Resource Investment Index, Paxson School ranks #4 of 12 schools in Missoula, MT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Missoula on the city page.
Is Paxson School a good school?
Paxson School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Montana schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Missoula Elem?
Besides Paxson School, Missoula Elem also operates Washington Middle School (669 students), Porter Middle School (579 students), and Jeannette Rankin El (457 students). See the Missoula Elem district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.