Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 2 schools in district

Bigfork 7-8

600 Commerce St, Bigfork, MT 59911Bigfork Elem →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 07–08Non-Charter
149
Students
Total enrolled
$10,600
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 26% vs nat'l
16.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 9% vs nat'l
42/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 16% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 149 students in grades 07–08 in Bigfork, Montana.
26% below average funding
District spends $10,600 per pupil, 26% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 42th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Bigfork 7-8 is a small middle in Bigfork, Montana, serving grades 07–08 with 149 students. The district invests $10,600 per student — 26% below the national average of $14,347, with a 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm.

Student Body & Demographics at Bigfork 7-8

149
Total Students
16.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
9
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (07–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution85 male · 64 female
57%
43%
Male 57%Female 43%
Student Composition
85%
10%
Asian1%
White85%
Hispanic / Latino10%
Black1%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 300382000966

Academic Outcomes at Bigfork 7-8

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
42
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 42th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 40th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 59911

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$10,600Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$10,600
State avg
$23,403
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,664
Student Support$2,014
Administration$1,272
Operations$1,590
Other$1,060
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $10,600 spent per student, an estimated $4,696 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
35%
53%
State government
34.7%
Local (property tax)
53.4%
Federal programs
11.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $10,600/student, 26% less than the national average
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades07 – 08
Location—
CountyFlathead County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBigfork Elem →
Phone: (406)837-7412
NCES ID: 300382000966
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Bigfork seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Bigfork Elem
Elem
Bigfork Elementary
461 students · PK–06
● 42 opp
District School Rankings
Location
600 Commerce St, Bigfork, MT 59911
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.