Enrollment
383
Montana · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 300528000153
Whittier School — Butte, MT
Federal NCES profile for Whittier School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 21/100.
👥 Class size 29
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 0
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: Butte 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)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 12.1:1 Montana avg
+46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whittier 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
Whittier School reports 383 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 24.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 46% 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 11% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Counselor coverage works out to roughly 383 students per counselor, above the ASCA-recommended ceiling of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 42.6% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Butte Elem spends $14,590 per pupil district-wide, below the Montana average of $21,538 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 40.4% from local sources (property taxes), 48.3% from the state, and 11.3% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Whittier 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 | 17.7:1 | ▲ 46% | 12.1:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Enrollment | 383 | top 87% | — | — |
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
17.7:1
students per teacher
— 46% above state mean
Top 92% in Montana — lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Between 15:1 and 20:1 — in line with the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
42.6%
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
$14,590
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 383 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 383 Top 87% in Montana — larger than 13% of 826 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 24.0
Students per teacher 17.7:1 +46% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID 300528000153
Student demographics
White 89.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Two or More 2.9%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 89.0% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 383:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 42.6%
In-school suspensions 14
Out-of-school suspensions 16
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Butte Elem, which includes Whittier School.
$14,590
Per student
-32%
vs Montana
Avg $21,538
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 40.4%
State 48.3%
Federal 11.3%
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
- 664
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Enrollment
- 503
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Enrollment
- 412
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Enrollment
- 389
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Enrollment
- 359
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
Similar other schools in Butte
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
West Elementary School
Standard public school
503 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Hillcrest School
Standard public school
412 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Emerson School
Standard public school
389 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Margaret Leary School
Standard public school
359 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Kennedy School
Standard public school
219 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
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 Whittier School
How many students attend Whittier School?
Whittier School has 383 students enrolled. It is a other school in Butte, MT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whittier School?
The student-teacher ratio at Whittier School is 17.7:1, which is 46% higher than the Montana average of 12.1:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.9:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whittier School?
The largest demographic group at Whittier School is White at 89.0%. The school serves a diverse student body in Butte, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whittier School?
Whittier School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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.