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 2024-25. The largest district, Billings Elem, enrolls 10,988 pupils across 28 schools at $12,537 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 2024-25 (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 11.3× across districts

Per-pupil spending in Montana ranges from $8,290 (lowest district) to $94,000 (highest), a spread of $85,710. 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 · 2024-25

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

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
1 Billings Elem Billings 10,988
2 Great Falls Elem Great Falls 7,032
3 Billings H S Billings 5,610
4 Missoula Elem Missoula 5,280
5 Helena Elem Helena 5,225
6 Bozeman Elem Bozeman 4,651
7 Missoula H S Missoula 3,966
8 Flathead H S Kalispell 3,101
9 Great Falls H S Great Falls 3,095
10 Kalispell Elem Kalispell 3,095
11 Butte Elem Butte 2,966
12 Bozeman H S Bozeman 2,631
13 Helena H S Helena 2,514
14 Belgrade Elem Belgrade 2,374
15 East Helena K-12 East Helena 1,952
16 Lockwood K-12 Lockwood 1,718
17 Hamilton K-12 Schools Hamilton 1,666
18 Columbia Falls Elem Columbia Falls 1,562
19 Hellgate Elem Missoula 1,498
20 Frenchtown K-12 Schools Frenchtown 1,443
Show the next 80 districts
# District Enrollment
21 Corvallis K-12 Schools Corvallis 1,342
22 Butte H S Butte 1,317
23 Whitefish Elem Whitefish 1,313
24 Hardin Elem Hardin 1,284
25 Laurel Elem Laurel 1,272
26 Browning Elem Browning 1,266
27 Havre Elem Havre 1,199
28 Polson Elem Polson 1,173
29 Libby K-12 Schools Libby 1,164
30 Ronan Elem Ronan 1,105
31 Belgrade H S Belgrade 994
32 Miles City Elem Miles City 953
33 Lewistown Elem Lewistown 888
34 Sidney Elem Sidney 856
35 Livingston Elem Livingston 837
36 Florence-Carlton K-12 Schls Florence 790
37 Glendive Elem Glendive 782
38 Dillon Elem Dillon 780
39 Huntley Project K-12 Schools Worden 773
40 Glasgow K-12 Schools Glasgow 769
41 West Valley Elem Kalispell 762
42 Anaconda Elem Anaconda 740
43 Townsend K-12 Schools Townsend 706
44 Elder Grove Elem Billings 689
45 Columbia Falls H S Columbia Falls 687
46 Monforton Elem Bozeman 669
47 Stevensville Elem Stevensville 656
48 Evergreen Elem Kalispell 651
49 Laurel H S Laurel 619
50 Bigfork Elem Bigfork 610
51 Poplar Elem Poplar 596
52 Whitefish H S Whitefish 581
53 Target Range Elem Missoula 574
54 Browning H S Browning 563
55 Shepherd Elem Shepherd 562
56 Somers Elem Somers 555
57 Cut Bank Elem Cut Bank 551
58 Havre H S Havre 531
59 Polson H S Polson 524
60 Three Forks Elem Three Forks 523
61 Malta K-12 Schools Malta 519
62 Hardin H S Hardin 512
63 Wolf Point Elem Wolf Point 511
64 Lolo Elem Lolo 507
65 Eureka Elem Eureka 497
66 Custer County H S Miles City 495
67 Rocky Boy Elem Box Elder 486
68 Manhattan School Manhattan 483
69 St Ignatius K-12 Schools St Ignatius 480
70 Montana City Elem Clancy 475
71 Columbus Elem Columbus 469
72 Harlem Elem Harlem 467
73 Plains K-12 Plains 453
74 Baker K-12 Schools Baker 451
75 Elysian Elem Billings 451
76 Big Sky School K-12 Gallatin Gateway 432
77 Deer Lodge Elem Deer Lodge 426
78 Ennis K-12 Schools Ennis 422
79 Park H S Livingston 418
80 Ronan H S Ronan 416
81 Roundup Elem Roundup 407
82 Shelby Elem Shelby 390
83 Sidney H S Sidney 387
84 Clancy Elem Clancy 385
85 Lame Deer Elem Lame Deer 382
86 Plentywood K-12 Schools Plentywood 371
87 Colstrip Elem Colstrip 366
88 Bonner Elem Bonner 356
89 Fergus H S Lewistown 356
90 Bigfork H S Bigfork 354
91 Stevensville H S Stevensville 349
92 Dawson H S Glendive 343
93 Conrad Elem Conrad 342
94 Beaverhead County H S Dillon 339
95 Red Lodge Elem Red Lodge 328
96 Whitehall Elem Whitehall 328
97 Darby K-12 Schools Darby 326
98 Superior K-12 Schools Superior 324
99 Thompson Falls Elem Thompson Falls 320
100 Big Timber Elem Big Timber 318

Top 100 of 398 districts by enrollment. Browse all districts →

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) 2024-25, NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Using the Montana data

Montana's 826 schools sit inside 398 districts — compare at the district level first.

  • District boundaries decide enrollment: shortlist 2-3 districts on spending, ratio, and size before comparing individual schools. Compare districts
  • Check how Montana distributes money across its districts — funding equity varies more within states than between them. Funding equity
  • Verify any school's federal record (enrollment, staffing, CRDC flags) before a visit or enrollment decision. Look up a school

Figures are the federal record (CCD 2024-25, F-33 FY 2021-22, CRDC 2021-22) — they lag the current school year and describe reported data, not school quality. PlainSchools does not rate or rank schools.

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 $8,290 and $94,000 per pupil, a 11.3× 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.