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B−

DeSmet Elementary School District

Public school districtGrades PK–8

Missoula’s School Grade A− better than 82% of Montana school districts

Students
127
Schools
2
Spent per student
$19,302
MT $13,570
Students per teacher
12:1
Free or reduced lunch
100%
Debt
$5.8M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about DeSmet Elementary School District

  • Its letter, B−: results better than 51% of Montana districts
  • Spends 42% more per student than the MT average
  • 12 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 28.3% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $5.8M, about $45,512 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B−: better than 51% 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 close to the state, 2021–22
B−

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Missoula. Grade by grade →

PK–511 elementary schoolsMissoula Elementary School District
6–84 middle schoolsMissoula Elementary School District
9–123 high schoolsMissoula High School District

Test scores vs. MT

2021–22
Math proficiency35–39%
State average 35.2% · 64 students tested
Reading / language arts40–44%
State average 45.7% · 64 students tested

98% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Graduation rate 85% at Missoula 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
$19,302 per student · 42% above MT
Spending
Classroom instruction 54%Support & administration 40%Other 6%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 60%State 28%Federal 12%

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

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

Enrollment over time
99’20
114’21
127’22
129’23
127’24

Up 28.3% since 2020–21.

Students
White 84%Two or more races 6%Asian 3%American Indian/Alaska Native 3%Hispanic 2%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

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

DeSmet School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Missoula
B−
90 students12:1
DeSmet 6-8
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Missoula
D
37 students11:1

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.