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A−

Kalispell Elementary School District

Public school districtGrades PK–8

Serves Kalispell.

Kalispell’s School Grade A− better than 76% of Montana school districts

Students
3,097
Schools
7
Spent per student
$12,834
MT $13,570
Students per teacher
16:1
Free or reduced lunch
100%
Debt
$22.8M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Kalispell Elementary School District

  • Its letter, A−: results better than 82% of Montana districts
  • Math proficiency 9 pts above the state
  • Reading proficiency 10 pts above the state
  • Spends 5% less per student than the MT average
  • 16 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 7.4% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $22.8M, about $7,369 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

A−: better than 82% of the 241 Montana school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well above the state, 2021–22
A−
The town it serves, and its School Grade
A−Kalispell 31,851

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Kalispell. Grade by grade →

PK–56 elementary schoolsThis district
6–8Kalispell Middle SchoolThis district
9–124 high schoolsFlathead High School District

Test scores vs. MT

2021–22
Math proficiency44%
State average 35.2% · 2,041 students tested
Reading / language arts56%
State average 45.7% · 2,049 students tested

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Graduation rate 81% at Flathead High School District, which runs the high school (state 85.5%) · class of 2023.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$12,834 per student · 5% below MT
Spending
Classroom instruction 59%Support & administration 41%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 42%State 39%Federal 18%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
2,883’20
3,136’21
3,095’22
3,057’23
3,097’24

Up 7.4% since 2020–21.

Students
White 85%Hispanic 7%Two or more races 6%American Indian/Alaska Native 1%Asian <1%Black <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

7 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Montana’s other public schools.

Edgerton School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Kalispell
A
509 students17:1
Jeannette Rankin Elementary Sc
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Kalispell
B
415 students17:1
Lillian Peterson School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Kalispell
A−
344 students17:1
Cornelius Hedges School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Kalispell
B+
320 students15:1
Elrod School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Kalispell
B−
237 students16:1
Russell School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Kalispell
A
223 students16:1
Kalispell Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Kalispell
A
1,049 students15:1

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Montana.