Plains Elementary School

Plains Elementary School is an average-sized K-5 school in Plains, Montana, one of the schools within Plains K-12. The school hosts 218 students in grades pre-K through 6. Compared to the state average of about 167 students per school, that is 31% above typical.

Plains Elementary School is one of 3 schools operated by Plains K-12, a district that teaches 404 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Plains Elementary School lists that the student body is overwhelmingly White (90%). Other groups include 5% Hispanic, 3% multiracial. That composition is broadly in line with Sanders County as a whole.

On the resource side, Staff filings list 16 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.6:1 students per teacher. That figure is higher than the state norm's 11.9:1 average. About 100% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Sanders County runs at roughly 91%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

In the area at large, Sanders County reports that median household income runs about $57,476, 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. Plains Elementary School is one of 16 public schools in Sanders County (combined enrollment of about 1,321 students).

Plains High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. 2 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in a low-density setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Plains Elementary School has edged down 7%, going from 234 students in 2018 to 218 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the feed for Plains Elementary School typically covers sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.