Enrollment
223
Montana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kalispell, MT
Russell School
Federal NCES profile for Russell School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 301545000475
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Russell School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Montana schools.
- #8 of 13
- schools in Kalispell · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.9:1
- large classes for Montana
- 223
- students enrolled
Russell School has class sizes larger than 75% of Montana schools. Computed live against every Montana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Russell School ranks #8 of 13 schools in Kalispell, MT.
School address
District: Kalispell Elem · Montana
NCES ID 301545000475 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 11.8:1 Montana avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Russell School compares with Montana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Russell School
Russell School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Kalispell, Montana, enrolling 223 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Montana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 223 puts it in the larger third of Montana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 826 scored Montana schools.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 223 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Kalispell Elem spends $12,023 per pupil, 38% below the Montana average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Kalispell's public schools, it stands alongside Edgerton School (509 students): Russell School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.9:1 vs 18.2:1).
Kalispell Elem also operates Kalispell Middle School (1,049 students) and Edgerton School (509 students) alongside Russell 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 Russell School compares
Russell 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 | 14.9:1 | ▲ 26% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 223 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
223
Bigger than 22% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 75% in Montana - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
47.5%
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
$12,023
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 223 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 84.8%
Two or More 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.2%
Asian 0.9%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: White at 84.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.3, Russell School is more mixed than the Montana school average of 23.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kalispell Elem, which includes Russell School.
$12,023
Per student
-38%
vs Montana
Avg $19,282
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.8%
State 38.3%
Federal 19.8%
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 Russell School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kalispell Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Edgerton School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jeannette Rankin Elementary Sc | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lillian Peterson School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cornelius Hedges School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Russell School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,049
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 415
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 344
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 320
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar other schools in Kalispell
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Edgerton School
Standard public school
509 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
West Valley School
Standard public school
434 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Jeannette Rankin Elementary Sc
Standard public school
415 students 16:1 students per teacher
East Evergreen School
Standard public school
360 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Lillian Peterson School
Standard public school
344 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Cornelius Hedges School
Standard public school
320 students 15.2:1 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 (~223 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Russell School's federal record.
- Compare Russell School against another school. Compare schools
- Kalispell 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 Russell School
How many students attend Russell School?
Russell School has 223 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kalispell, MT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Russell School?
The student-teacher ratio at Russell School is 14.9:1, which is 26% higher than the Montana average of 11.8:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Russell School?
The largest demographic group at Russell School is White at 84.8% of enrollment, in Kalispell, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Russell School?
Russell School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Russell School rank among schools in Kalispell?
By Resource Investment Index, Russell School ranks #8 of 13 schools in Kalispell, MT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Kalispell on the city page.
Is Russell School a good school?
Russell School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 Kalispell Elem?
Besides Russell School, Kalispell Elem also operates Kalispell Middle School (1,049 students), Edgerton School (509 students), and Jeannette Rankin Elementary Sc (415 students). See the Kalispell 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.