Bissell 7-8

Bissell 7-8 is a very small middle-grades school serving families in Whitefish, Montana. The school counted 17 students in 2024-25, covering grades 7 through 8. That is 88% below the average of about 139 students for middle schools in Montana.

Enrollment across the 2 schools in Olney-Bissell Elem totals 95 students.

White students are 94% of those enrolled at Bissell 7-8. The next largest groups are 6% Pacific Islander. That is in line with Flathead County, where about 91% of residents are White.

Bissell 7-8 has 1.7 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of about 10.2:1. Middle schools in Montana have an average ratio of 11.3:1. Eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch, often used to gauge student poverty, is 35%. For comparison, public schools in Flathead County average 75%.

American Community Survey estimates for Flathead County show that the median household earns about $73,925 a year, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 37%, and roughly 5% of residents are in poverty. Across Flathead County, 48 public schools serve about 14,957 students.

Measured in a straight line, Bissell School is less than a tenth of a mile from Bissell 7-8. Around the school, 6 other public schools are within ten miles.

The school is in rural territory some distance from an urban area, according to its NCES locale (Rural: Distant).

Federal records list enrollment at Bissell 7-8 as 12 in 2020-21 and 17 in 2024-25. A change that size can reflect a shift in the grades the school serves as well as a change in students. In 2020-21, the student-to-teacher ratio was 12.0:1; by 2024-25 it was 10.2:1.

Use the discussion section to ask about special education services, counseling, and support programs at Bissell 7-8. You can also rate the school on this page.