Enrollment
36
Montana · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 302886000806
Yellowstone Academy Elem — Billings, MT
Federal NCES profile for Yellowstone Academy Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 54/100.
👥 Class size 91
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 93
📋 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: Yellowstone Academy 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)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
2.2:1
vs 12.1:1 Montana avg
-82% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Yellowstone Academy Elem 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
Yellowstone Academy Elem reports 36 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 11.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 2.2:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 82% below the Montana state mean of 12.1:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 86% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Counselor coverage works out to roughly 36 students per counselor, meeting the American School Counselor Association recommendation of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 44.4% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Yellowstone Academy Elem spends $83,371 per pupil district-wide, above the Montana average of $21,538 and above the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 60.0% from local sources (property taxes), 25.1% from the state, and 14.9% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (C-), 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 Yellowstone Academy Elem 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 | 2.2:1 | ▼ 82% | 12.1:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Enrollment | 36 | top 32% | — | — |
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
2.2:1
students per teacher
— 82% below state mean
Top 2% in Montana — lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
44.4%
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
$83,371
per pupil, district-wide
— above Montana avg of $21,538
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 36 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 36 Top 32% in Montana — larger than 68% of 826 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 11.0
Students per teacher 2.2:1 -82% vs state
Free-lunch eligible —
NCES ID 302886000806
Student demographics
White 77.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 16.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%
Largest group: White at 77.8% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 36:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 44.4%
In-school suspensions 3
Out-of-school suspensions 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Yellowstone Academy Elem, which includes Yellowstone Academy Elem.
$83,371
Per student
+287%
vs Montana
Avg $21,538
+328%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 60.0%
State 25.1%
Federal 14.9%
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
- 16
- Students per teacher
- 2.6:1
Similar other schools in Billings
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Meadowlark School
Standard public school
691 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Boulder School
Standard public school
495 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Elder Grove School
Standard public school
465 students 17:1 students per teacher
Eagle Cliffs Elementary
Standard public school
443 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Arrowhead School
Standard public school
434 students 18:1 students per teacher
Broadwater School
Standard public school
400 students 13.3:1 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 Yellowstone Academy Elem
How many students attend Yellowstone Academy Elem?
Yellowstone Academy Elem has 36 students enrolled. It is a other school in Billings, MT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Yellowstone Academy Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Yellowstone Academy Elem is 2.2:1, which is 82% lower than the Montana average of 12.1:1 and 86% lower than the national average of 15.9:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Yellowstone Academy Elem?
The largest demographic group at Yellowstone Academy Elem is White at 77.8%. The school serves a student body in Billings, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Yellowstone Academy Elem?
Yellowstone Academy Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (C-) 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.