Enrollment
434
Montana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kalispell, MT
West Valley School
Federal NCES profile for West Valley School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 302757000767
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Valley School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Montana schools.
- #4 of 13
- schools in Kalispell · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- large classes for Montana
- 434
- students enrolled
West Valley School has class sizes larger than 81% of Montana schools. Computed live against every Montana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Valley School ranks #4 of 13 schools in Kalispell, MT.
School address
District: West Valley Elem · Montana
NCES ID 302757000767 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 11.8:1 Montana avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Valley School compares with Montana and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Valley School
West Valley School is a large combined-grade school in Kalispell, Montana, enrolling 434 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Montana schools by student-teacher ratio.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Montana, bigger than 91% of state schools at 434 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 826 scored Montana schools.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 18/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 217 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.6% 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 public schools, it stands alongside Edgerton School (509 students): West Valley School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.5:1 vs 18.2:1).
Its district, West Valley Elem, also runs West Valley Middle School (372 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 School compares
West Valley 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 | 15.5:1 | ▲ 31% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 434 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
434
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 81% in Montana - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.6%
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
$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 217 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 90.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: White at 90.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.6, West Valley School is less mixed than the Montana school average of 23.6.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Valley Elem, which includes West Valley 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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Valley Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Valley School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 372
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
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
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
Cayuse Prairie School
Standard public school
254 students 14.9:1 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 (~434 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Valley School's federal record.
- Compare West Valley 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 School
How many students attend West Valley School?
West Valley School has 434 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kalispell, MT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Valley School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Valley School is 15.5:1, which is 31% higher than the Montana average of 11.8:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Valley School?
The largest demographic group at West Valley School is White at 90.6% of enrollment, in Kalispell, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Valley School?
West Valley School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 School rank among schools in Kalispell?
By Resource Investment Index, West Valley School ranks #4 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 West Valley School a good school?
West Valley School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 School, West Valley Elem also operates West Valley Middle School (372 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.