Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 3 schools in district

West Side Elementary

1100 5th Street SW, Sidney, MT 59270Sidney Elem →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–02Non-Charter
321
Students
Total enrolled
$11,781
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 18% vs nat'l
14.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
62/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↑ 25% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 321 students in grades PK–02 in Sidney, Montana.
18% below average funding
District spends $11,781 per pupil, 18% less than the national average of $14,347.
Above-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 62th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

West Side Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Sidney, Montana, serving grades PK–02 with 321 students. The district invests $11,781 per student — 18% below the national average of $14,347, with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. The surrounding neighborhood has an opportunity score of 62/100 — above the national median — suggesting children from modest-income families here tend to reach stronger economic outcomes as adults.

Student Body & Demographics at West Side Elementary

321
Total Students
14.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
22
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–02) are served by this school
Gender Distribution163 male · 158 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Student Composition
84%
Asian1%
White84%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black2%
Multiracial4%
Native American2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 302420001110

Academic Outcomes at West Side Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
62
/ 100
Above-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 62th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 99th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 59270

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,781Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,781
State avg
$23,403
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,184
Student Support$2,238
Administration$1,414
Operations$1,767
Other$1,178
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,781 spent per student, an estimated $5,219 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
49%
34%
State government
48.9%
Local (property tax)
34.3%
Federal programs
16.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • High neighborhood opportunity score (62/100) — strong long-term economic outlook for children
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Central Elementary
↓
Middle
Sidney Middle School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 02
Location—
CountyRichland County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSidney Elem →
Phone: (406)433-5501
NCES ID: 302420001110
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Sidney seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a high-opportunity neighborhood and strong long-term outcomes for children. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Sidney Elem
Mid
Sidney Middle School
284 students · 06–08
● 62 opp
Elem
Central Elementary
251 students · 03–05
● 62 opp
District School Rankings
Location
1100 5th Street SW, Sidney, MT 59270
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.