State profile · MT

Montana Public Schools

Every public school, district, and the headline NCES measures for Montana — 398 districts, drawn straight from federal records.

826
Schools
146,015
Students
12.1:1
Avg ratio
—
Free lunch

The state in one line

Montana runs 826 public schools across 398 districts, with a 12.1:1 average classroom and — of students on subsidized lunch.

826
public schools
398
school districts
12.1:1
avg student–teacher
—
free/reduced lunch

What the NCES Data Says About Montana Schools

Montana operates 826 public K-12 schools organised into 398 independent school districts serving 146,015 students, per the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data 2022-23. The largest district, Billings Elem, enrolls 10,988 pupils across 28 schools at $13,071 per student, while smaller rural districts can run fewer than a dozen campuses. This fragmentation — inherited from century-old township governance patterns in many states — is why per-pupil spending, class sizes, and programme availability vary dramatically inside a single state boundary.

Statewide, the average student-teacher ratio is 12.1:1, a useful benchmark for comparing any individual district or school on PlainSchools. The district table below is sortable by enrollment, school count, and per-pupil expenditure — the three fields that best predict a district's financial and demographic profile. For schools specifically, use the rankings links above to view per-category leaderboards covering spending, class size, best schools by composite quality score, chronic absenteeism, and funding-equity distribution within the state.

Every district figure here pulls from two distinct federal surveys: enrollment and demographic data come from the NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23 (school membership and directory), while per-pupil spending, teacher salaries, and federal/state/local revenue shares originate in the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey (typically FY 2021-22). Civil-rights indicators — gifted enrollment, AP course counts, counselor staffing, chronic absenteeism, in- and out-of-school suspensions — come from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Cross-referencing these three sources is what lets PlainSchools produce composite scores and equity rankings that single-source tools cannot.

Montana's average class size vs. every US state

Average students per teacher, state by state (lower means smaller classes)

12 Among the smallest classes smaller classes than 80% of 51 US states

11–12: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 12–13: 4 US states (8%). This entry sits in this band. 13–14: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 14–15: 10 US states (20%). Above this entry. 15–16: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 16–17: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 17–18: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 18–19: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 20–21: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 21–22: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 22–23: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 23–24: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. This state 11 24 every US state, by average class size, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25

Or browse all Montana schools

Federal data — no proprietary formula. PlainSchools publishes the actual federal survey data — enrollment, staffing, finance, and demographics from NCES — without a composite rating on top. The insights below are computed directly from those datasets; every number traces to a cited source.

Montana per-pupil spending varies 11.7× across districts

Per-pupil spending in Montana ranges from $8,391 (lowest district) to $98,000 (highest), a spread of $89,609. That ratio is among the widest in the country and predicts large gaps in class size, programme availability, and counselor:student ratios that compound across a 12-year K-12 career. High-spending districts typically draw on higher property tax bases, a structural feature of state education finance under the federal Title I framework that sets the floor but not the ceiling.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Local Education Agency Finance Survey (F-33) · FY 2021-22

Average Montana student-teacher ratio is 12.1:1 — low (typically associated with smaller schools or state-funded class-size reduction)

Student-teacher ratio is the simplest staffing metric reported on NCES Common Core of Data, but it does not capture push-in specialists, intervention staff, English Language Learner aides, special education co-teachers, or counseling and support staff. Lower ratios in this state often correlate with smaller per-school enrollments and rural geography rather than higher staffing budgets per se. Class-load comparisons are most meaningful at the district or school level, not the state aggregate.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data — Public School Universe School-level enrollment and staffing · 2022-23

School Spending

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Schools ranked by per-pupil expenditure

District Spending

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Districts ranked by per-pupil expenditure

Largest Schools

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Schools ranked by student enrollment

Funding Equity

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Districts ranked by funding equity score

Best Student-Teacher Ratios

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Schools with the smallest class sizes

Best Schools

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Top-rated schools by quality score

Best Districts

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Top-ranked districts by quality score

Chronic Absenteeism

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Schools ranked by absenteeism rates

Affordable Districts

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Quality schools in affordable areas

Largest districts in Montana

By total K-12 enrollment — NCES Common Core 2024-25

Top district = 8% of enrollment
Billings Elem10,988Great Falls Elem7,032Billings H S5,610Missoula Elem5,280Helena Elem5,225Bozeman Elem4,651Missoula H S3,966Flathead H S3,101Great Falls H S3,095Kalispell Elem3,095
District Enrollment
Billings Elem Billings 10,988
Great Falls Elem Great Falls 7,032
Billings H S Billings 5,610
Missoula Elem Missoula 5,280
Helena Elem Helena 5,225
Bozeman Elem Bozeman 4,651
Missoula H S Missoula 3,966
Flathead H S Kalispell 3,101
Great Falls H S Great Falls 3,095
Kalispell Elem Kalispell 3,095
Butte Elem Butte 2,966
Bozeman H S Bozeman 2,631
Helena H S Helena 2,514
Belgrade Elem Belgrade 2,374
East Helena K-12 East Helena 1,952
Lockwood K-12 Lockwood 1,718
Hamilton K-12 Schools Hamilton 1,666
Columbia Falls Elem Columbia Falls 1,562
Hellgate Elem Missoula 1,498
Frenchtown K-12 Schools Frenchtown 1,443
Corvallis K-12 Schools Corvallis 1,342
Butte H S Butte 1,317
Whitefish Elem Whitefish 1,313
Hardin Elem Hardin 1,284
Laurel Elem Laurel 1,272
Browning Elem Browning 1,266
Havre Elem Havre 1,199
Polson Elem Polson 1,173
Libby K-12 Schools Libby 1,164
Ronan Elem Ronan 1,105
Belgrade H S Belgrade 994
Miles City Elem Miles City 953
Lewistown Elem Lewistown 888
Sidney Elem Sidney 856
Livingston Elem Livingston 837
Florence-Carlton K-12 Schls Florence 790
Glendive Elem Glendive 782
Dillon Elem Dillon 780
Huntley Project K-12 Schools Worden 773
Glasgow K-12 Schools Glasgow 769
West Valley Elem Kalispell 762
Anaconda Elem Anaconda 740
Townsend K-12 Schools Townsend 706
Elder Grove Elem Billings 689
Columbia Falls H S Columbia Falls 687
Monforton Elem Bozeman 669
Stevensville Elem Stevensville 656
Evergreen Elem Kalispell 651
Laurel H S Laurel 619
Bigfork Elem Bigfork 610
Poplar Elem Poplar 596
Whitefish H S Whitefish 581
Target Range Elem Missoula 574
Browning H S Browning 563
Shepherd Elem Shepherd 562
Somers Elem Somers 555
Cut Bank Elem Cut Bank 551
Havre H S Havre 531
Polson H S Polson 524
Three Forks Elem Three Forks 523
Malta K-12 Schools Malta 519
Hardin H S Hardin 512
Wolf Point Elem Wolf Point 511
Lolo Elem Lolo 507
Eureka Elem Eureka 497
Custer County H S Miles City 495
Rocky Boy Elem Box Elder 486
Manhattan School Manhattan 483
St Ignatius K-12 Schools St Ignatius 480
Montana City Elem Clancy 475
Columbus Elem Columbus 469
Harlem Elem Harlem 467
Plains K-12 Plains 453
Baker K-12 Schools Baker 451
Elysian Elem Billings 451
Big Sky School K-12 Gallatin Gateway 432
Deer Lodge Elem Deer Lodge 426
Ennis K-12 Schools Ennis 422
Park H S Livingston 418
Ronan H S Ronan 416
Roundup Elem Roundup 407
Shelby Elem Shelby 390
Sidney H S Sidney 387
Clancy Elem Clancy 385
Lame Deer Elem Lame Deer 382
Plentywood K-12 Schools Plentywood 371
Colstrip Elem Colstrip 366
Bonner Elem Bonner 356
Fergus H S Lewistown 356
Bigfork H S Bigfork 354
Stevensville H S Stevensville 349
Dawson H S Glendive 343
Conrad Elem Conrad 342
Beaverhead County H S Dillon 339
Red Lodge Elem Red Lodge 328
Whitehall Elem Whitehall 328
Darby K-12 Schools Darby 326
Superior K-12 Schools Superior 324
Thompson Falls Elem Thompson Falls 320
Big Timber Elem Big Timber 318

Showing top 100 of 398 districts by enrollment.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data As of 2024-25 Local Education Agency Universe Federal universe survey of all U.S. school districts

Largest Schools in Montana

Billings West High School
Billings — high
2,115
students
Billings Sr High School
Billings — high
1,629
students
Great Falls High School
Great Falls — high
1,548
students
Skyview High School
Billings — high
1,542
students
Flathead High School
Kalispell — high
1,541
students
Gallatin High School
Bozeman — high
1,442
students
C M Russell High School
Great Falls — high
1,412
students
Glacier High School
Kalispell — high
1,402
students
Sentinel High School
Missoula — high
1,365
students
Capital High School
Helena — high
1,293
students

Other States

Minnesota
MN public schools
Mississippi
MS public schools
Missouri
MO public schools
Nebraska
NE public schools
Nevada
NV public schools
New Hampshire
NH public schools

Side-by-side: Compare Billings Elem vs Great Falls Elem → · Compare any two districts

Data sourced from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23, NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public schools are in Montana?

Montana has 826 public schools across 398 school districts, serving 146,015 students.

What is the average student-teacher ratio in Montana?

The average student-teacher ratio in Montana public schools is 12.1:1. This varies by district — use the district table below to compare.

What is the largest school district in Montana?

The largest school district in Montana is Billings Elem with 10,988 students across 28 schools.

Why does per-pupil spending vary so much across Montana districts?

Montana districts spend between $8,391 and $98,000 per pupil — a 11.7× range. Most U.S. states fund schools through a mix of state aid (typically 40-60%), local property tax (30-50%), and federal Title I (5-15%). Districts in higher property-value areas raise more per pupil from local taxes, while state aid is intended to partially equalise but rarely closes the full gap. The federal F-33 finance survey reports actual current expenditures including instructional and support services.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Top schools in Montana by enrollment

Largest K-12 public schools by total students enrolled

students

What this shows The largest public schools in Montana by enrollment — often statewide virtual academies or large consolidated campuses, so size here reflects reach, not quality.

Source NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) As of 2024-25

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD) — Public school universe · 2023-2024 Public K-12 school enrollment, demographics, and operational data; collected annually by NCES from state education agencies.