Ekalaka 7-8

Ekalaka 7-8 is a middle-grades school of minimally staffed scale in Ekalaka, Montana, run under Ekalaka Elem, serveing 25 students in grades 7 through 8. That puts it 82% smaller than the typical public school in Montana, which averages around 139 students.

Ekalaka Elem runs 2 schools in total, collectively educating 94 students. Ekalaka 7-8 is one of those campuses.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Ekalaka 7-8 shows that the student body is overwhelmingly White (92%). Beyond that, the school shows 4% Hispanic, 4% multiracial. That mix tracks the wider county fairly closely.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, Ekalaka 7-8 has 2 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 16.7:1. The state averages around 11.3:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 48% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Carter County runs at roughly 58%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully below the surrounding baseline.

In the area at large, community-level numbers for Carter County indicate median household income runs about $54,167, 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Ekalaka 7-8 is one of 6 public schools in Carter County (combined enrollment of about 146 students).

Nearest neighbor: Carter County High School, around 0.0 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Ekalaka 7-8.

Geographically, the school is in an outlying area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Ekalaka 7-8 has grew 56%, going from 16 students in 2018 to 25 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 100% to 92% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio loosened from 6.6:1 in 2018 to 16.7:1 today.

Within the allk12 community for this school, members of the Ekalaka 7-8 community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.