Enrollment
372
Montana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Kalispell, MT
West Valley Middle School
Federal NCES profile for West Valley Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 302757000970
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Valley Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Montana schools.
- #8 of 22
- public schools in Kalispell · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- large classes for Montana
- 372
- students enrolled
West Valley Middle School has class sizes larger than 90% of Montana schools. Computed live against every Montana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Valley Middle School ranks #8 of 22 public schools in Kalispell, MT.
School address
District: West Valley Elem · Montana
NCES ID 302757000970 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 11.8:1 Montana avg
+43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Valley Middle School compares with Montana and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Valley Middle School
West Valley Middle School is a large elementary school in Kalispell, Montana, enrolling 372 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.9:1 is larger than about 90% of Montana schools and 43% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Enrollment of 372 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 (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 186 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding West Valley Elem spends $10,202 per pupil, 47% below the Montana average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Kalispell's elementary schools, it stands alongside Evergreen Junior High (285 students): West Valley Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.9:1 vs 11.9:1).
Its district, West Valley Elem, also runs West Valley School (434 students).
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 West Valley Middle School compares
West Valley Middle 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 43% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 372 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
372
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 43% above state mean
Top 90% in Montana - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.7%
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
$10,202
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 186 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 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 86.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 86.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.0, West Valley Middle School is about as mixed as the Montana school average of 23.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Valley Elem, which includes West Valley Middle School.
$10,202
Per student
-47%
vs Montana
Avg $19,282
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.2%
State 45.2%
Federal 17.6%
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 West Valley Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Valley School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Valley Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 434
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Kalispell
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~372 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Valley Middle School's federal record.
- Compare West Valley Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- West Valley 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 West Valley Middle School
How many students attend West Valley Middle School?
West Valley Middle School has 372 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Kalispell, MT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Valley Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Valley Middle School is 16.9:1, which is 43% higher than the Montana average of 11.8:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Valley Middle School?
The largest demographic group at West Valley Middle School is White at 86.8% of enrollment, in Kalispell, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Valley Middle School?
West Valley Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 West Valley Middle School rank among public schools in Kalispell?
By Resource Investment Index, West Valley Middle School ranks #8 of 22 public 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 public schools in Kalispell on the city page.
Is West Valley Middle School a good school?
West Valley Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 West Valley Elem?
Besides West Valley Middle School, West Valley Elem also operates West Valley School (434 students). See the West Valley 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.