Enrollment
262
Montana · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 302390000692
Shelby Elementary School — Shelby, MT
Federal NCES profile for Shelby Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 31/100.
👥 Class size 41
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 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: Shelby 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)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 12.1:1 Montana avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Shelby Elementary School 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
Shelby Elementary School reports 262 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 19.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 22% 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 7% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Counselor coverage works out to roughly 262 students per counselor, above the ASCA-recommended ceiling of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 37.8% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Shelby Elem spends $11,637 per pupil district-wide, below the Montana average of $21,538 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 45.7% from local sources (property taxes), 41.6% from the state, and 12.7% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Shelby Elementary School 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 | 14.8:1 | ▲ 22% | 12.1:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Enrollment | 262 | top 76% | — | — |
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
14.8:1
students per teacher
— 22% above state mean
Top 71% in Montana — lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
37.8%
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
$11,637
per pupil, district-wide
— below Montana avg of $21,538
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 262 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 262 Top 76% in Montana — larger than 24% of 826 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 19.0
Students per teacher 14.8:1 +22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID 302390000692
Student demographics
White 67.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%
Two or More 12.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 6.5%
Asian 1.1%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: White at 67.6% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 262:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 37.8%
In-school suspensions 2
Out-of-school suspensions 8
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shelby Elem, which includes Shelby Elementary School.
$11,637
Per student
-46%
vs Montana
Avg $21,538
-40%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 45.7%
State 41.6%
Federal 12.7%
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
- 109
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Enrollment
- 28
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Enrollment
- 14
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
Similar other schools in Shelby
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 Shelby Elementary School
How many students attend Shelby Elementary School?
Shelby Elementary School has 262 students enrolled. It is a other school in Shelby, MT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shelby Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Shelby Elementary School is 14.8:1, which is 22% higher than the Montana average of 12.1:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.9:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shelby Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Shelby Elementary School is White at 67.6%. The school serves a diverse student body in Shelby, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shelby Elementary School?
Shelby Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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.