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How has Bigfork Elementary changed in the last five years, for better or worse?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
343
Elementary
DISTRICT 290 · STATE 167
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BIGFORK ELEM·NCES 300382000057
Bigfork Elementary
600 Commerce St, Bigfork, MT 59911 · (406) 837-7412 · Flathead County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY43-RURALREGULAR SCHOOL343 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
12.9:1
27 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 18.4:1 · STATE 11.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
31%
107 students
DISTRICT 27% · STATE 58%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 44 | 13% |
| Grade 1 | 47 | 14% |
| Grade 2 | 55 | 16% |
| Grade 3 | 63 | 18% |
| Grade 4 | 63 | 18% |
| Grade 5 | 71 | 21% |
Student demographics
14%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 15% · STATE 40% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Bigfork Elementary→Bigfork 6-8
Based on grade levels within Bigfork Elem. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
EDFacts (federal) 2020-21 . % Proficient (SY 20-21)English Language Arts
52.0%
MT avg 47.2%
Math
32.0%
MT avg 36.0%
What this means: On the EDFacts (federal), Montana's statewide test, about 52 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 32 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Montana schools, those numbers are about 47 and 36.
Source: EDFacts (federal). All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where Bigfork Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Montana | In Flathead County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 32.0% | #132 of 199 | #13 of 21 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 52.0% | #60 of 201 | #8 of 21 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 343 | #68 of 421 | #9 of 25 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.9:1 | #39 of 160 | #1 of 15 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 13.9% | #148 of 160 | #14 of 15 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 31.2% | #186 of 226 | #19 of 21 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -22.0% | #17 of 107 | #3 of 10 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
343
-93 (-21%) vs 2020
-16% since 1990-91, when it was 406
Student : Teacher
12.9:1
was 14.5:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 343 | 26.7 | 12.9:1 | 31% (107) |
| 2023-24 | 445 | 28.5 | 15.6:1 | 34% (153) |
| 2022-23 | 461 | 29.8 | 15.4:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 436 | 30 | 14.5:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 440 | 27.8 | 15.8:1 | 44% (194) |
| 2015-16 | 424 | 31 | 13.7:1 | 44% (186) |
| 2010-11 | 366 | 27 | 13.6:1 | 47% (172) |
| 2000-01 | 384 | 26 | 14.8:1 | 32% (122) |
| 1990-91 | 406 | 22 | 18.4:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Bigfork Elementary.
About Bigfork Elementary
Among the schools in Bigfork, Montana, is Bigfork Elementary, a high-enrollment elementary school. Enrollment in 2024-25 was 343 students in pre-K through 5. Against the 167-student average for elementary schools in Montana, enrollment here is 105% higher.
Bigfork Elem operates 2 schools. Combined enrollment is 579 students.
At Bigfork Elementary, White students make up 93% of the student body. The school is also 4% Hispanic. That is close to the 91% White share among all Flathead County residents. The chance that two students picked at random at Bigfork Elementary belong to different racial or ethnic groups, known as the diversity index, is 14%.
The school's student-to-teacher ratio is about 12.9:1, with 26.7 full-time-equivalent teachers. The average ratio among elementary schools in Montana is 11.9:1, lower than at this school. Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch make up 31% of enrollment. By comparison, the figure for public schools in Flathead County is 75%.
Across Flathead County, median household income is about $73,925, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 37%, and roughly 5% of residents are in poverty. Bigfork Elementary is among the 48 public schools in Flathead County.
Bigfork 6-8 is the public school closest to Bigfork Elementary, less than a tenth of a mile away. Bigfork Elementary has 4 other public schools within five miles.
The school's federal locale classification is Rural: Remote.
The number of students dropped from 436 to 343 over 4 years. The school's ratio fell from 14.5:1 to 12.9:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
Questions about sports schedules, lunch menus, and spirit week can be posted here. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.
Flathead County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
110,695
Census ACS
Median income
$73,925
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
37%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
5%
Below federal line
Schools in county
48
14,957 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Bigfork
- Bigfork High SchoolHigh · 333 students
- Bigfork 6-8Middle · 236 students
- Swan River SchoolElementary · 106 students
- Swan River 6-8Middle · 52 students
Nearby schools
- Bigfork 6-80.0 mi · 236
- Bigfork High School0.0 mi · 333
- Swan River 6-83.2 mi · 52
- Swan River School3.2 mi · 106
- Somers Middle School6.8 mi · 231
- Lakeside Elementary School7.5 mi · 303
Frequently asked questions
About Bigfork ElementaryHow large is Bigfork Elementary?
Bigfork Elementary enrolls approximately 343 students in grades PK-05.
Is Bigfork Elementary an elementary, middle, or high school?
Bigfork Elementary is an elementary school covering grades PK-05.
How many teachers does Bigfork Elementary have?
Bigfork Elementary employs 27 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.9:1.
What is the student diversity at Bigfork Elementary?
Student demographics at Bigfork Elementary are roughly 93% White, 4% Hispanic, 0% Black, 1% Asian, 1% Two or more.
Who oversees Bigfork Elementary?
Bigfork Elementary is overseen by Bigfork Elem in Flathead County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.