Paxson School

As a high-enrollment elementary school, Paxson School serves students in Missoula, Montana. Its 415 students are spread across pre-K through 5. The typical figure for elementary schools in Montana is about 167 students.

Paxson School reports to Missoula Elem, which has 14 schools and 5,293 students.

White students account for 76% of enrollment at Paxson School. Other groups make up 9% Native American, 8% Hispanic, and 5% multiracial. Missoula County as a whole is about 87% White, so the school's share is lower. The chance that two students picked at random at Paxson School belong to different racial or ethnic groups, known as the diversity index, is 40%.

Teachers at the school number 25.7 full-time equivalents, and the ratio is 16.1:1. Among elementary schools in Montana, the typical ratio is 11.9:1. The school's lunch program data list 38% of students as eligible for free or reduced-price meals. That is close to the 41% average for public schools in Missoula County.

Paxson School is located in Missoula County, where median household income is about $75,598, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 47%, and about 5% of people live in poverty. Paxson School is one of 47 public schools in Missoula County, which together enroll about 14,099 students.

Hellgate High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.5 miles away. Counting only straight-line distance, at least 8 other public schools are within five miles.

Federal records code the school's setting as City: Small.

Compared with 2020-21, when it had 416 students, enrollment in 2024-25 was about the same at 415. In 2020-21, the student-to-teacher ratio was 17.3:1; by 2024-25 it was 16.1:1.

Community posts for Paxson School can cover science fairs, picture day, and bus routes. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.