Enrollment
243
Elementary
DISTRICT 299 · STATE 167
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·POLSON ELEM·NCES 302106000630
Cherry Valley School
107 8th Avenue West, Polson, MT 59860 · (406) 883-6333 · Lake County
GRADES PK–01ELEMENTARY33-TOWNTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL243 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
12.6:1
19 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 14.0:1 · STATE 11.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
74%
179 students
DISTRICT 65% · STATE 58%
Community
0
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 43 | 18% |
| Kindergarten | 91 | 37% |
| Grade 1 | 109 | 45% |
Student demographics
51%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 54% · 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
Based on grade levels within Polson Elem. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Schools most like Cherry Valley School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Valley School this school | 243 | 73.7% | N/A |
| Mountain View School Great Falls | 315 | 80.6% | N/A |
| Linderman School Polson | 355 | 66.5% | N/A |
| Malta K-5 Malta | 246 | 58.9% | N/A |
| H C Davis Elementary Cut Bank | 209 | 67.0% | N/A |
| West Elementary Great Falls | 421 | 76.2% | N/A |
Matched among Montana elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Cherry Valley School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Montana | In Lake County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 243 | #138 of 421 | #3 of 10 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.6:1 | #33 of 160 | #3 of 6 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 51.2% | #25 of 160 | #6 of 6 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 73.7% | #72 of 226 | #5 of 6 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -5.4% | #90 of 107 | N/A |
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. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
243
-6 (-2%) vs 2020
-32% since 1990-91, when it was 355
Student : Teacher
12.6:1
was 11.9:1
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 | 243 | 19.3 | 12.6:1 | 74% (179) |
| 2023-24 | 268 | 19.3 | 13.9:1 | 57% (152) |
| 2022-23 | 273 | 21.3 | 12.8:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 249 | 21 | 11.9:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 257 | 19.8 | 13.0:1 | 64% (164) |
| 2015-16 | 256 | 21 | 12.2:1 | 55% (142) |
| 2010-11 | 248 | 19 | 13.1:1 | 58% (145) |
| 2000-01 | 284 | 21 | 13.5:1 | 43% (122) |
| 1990-91 | 355 | 13 | 27.3:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Cherry Valley School.
Since 2017-18: students down 5% (257 to 243); teachers down 2% (19.8 to 19.3).
About Cherry Valley School
Cherry Valley School runs as a medium-sized elementary school in Polson, Montana. The school counts 243 students across pre-K through 1. The typical figure for elementary schools in Montana is about 167 students.
Polson Elem enrolls 1,075 students in 3 schools, including Cherry Valley School.
White students make up a majority at Cherry Valley School, at 63%. Smaller groups are 31% Native American, 3% multiracial, and 2% Hispanic. For comparison, Lake County is about 66% White. The school's diversity index is 51%, meaning two students picked at random have a 51% chance of belonging to different racial or ethnic groups.
Its 19.3 full-time-equivalent teachers give the school a ratio of 12.6:1. That is close to the 11.9:1 average for elementary schools in Montana. The school's lunch program data list 74% of students as eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The rate at public schools in Lake County averages 83%, higher than here.
Lake County has about 32,561 residents, and the median household income is $63,360, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 32% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 12%. In all, Lake County has 21 public schools and roughly 4,302 students.
Of nearby public schools, Linderman School is the closest, at about 0.5 miles. In all, 3 other public schools sit within five miles of Cherry Valley School.
Cherry Valley School is in a town far from an urbanized area, a location NCES labels Town: Remote.
Enrollment at Cherry Valley School was 249 in 2020-21 and 243 in 2024-25, a change of less than 3%.
Threads on this page can be about sports schedules, lunch menus, and spirit week. Alumni can share how the school prepared them.
Lake County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
32,561
Census ACS
Median income
$63,360
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
32%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
12%
Below federal line
Schools in county
21
4,302 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Polson Elem
- Polson Middle SchoolMiddle · 477 students
- Linderman SchoolElementary · 355 students
Other schools in Polson
- Polson High SchoolHigh · 517 students
- Polson Middle SchoolMiddle · 477 students
- Linderman SchoolElementary · 355 students
- Valley View SchoolElementary · 35 students
Nearby schools
- Linderman School0.5 mi · 355
- Polson Middle School0.5 mi · 477
- Polson High School0.7 mi · 517
- Pablo Elementary6.4 mi · 229
- Two Eagle River School6.6 mi · 136
- Valley View School6.8 mi · 35
Frequently asked questions
About Cherry Valley SchoolHow many students attend Cherry Valley School?
Cherry Valley School enrolls approximately 243 students in grades PK-01.
Is Cherry Valley School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Cherry Valley School is an elementary school covering grades PK-01.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cherry Valley School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Cherry Valley School is approximately 12.6:1 (19 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at Cherry Valley School?
At Cherry Valley School, the student body is approximately 63% White, 2% Hispanic, 0% Black, 0% Asian, 3% Two or more.
Is Cherry Valley School public or private?
Cherry Valley School is a public K-12 school, overseen by Polson Elem.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.