Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 6 schools in district

Rocky Mountain High School

404 South 3rd East, Cowley, WY 82420Big Horn County School District #1 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
360
Students
Total enrolled
62%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 28% vs nat'l
$20,729
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 44% vs nat'l
17.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 11% vs nat'l
52/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 360 students in grades 09–12 in Cowley, Wyoming.
44% above average funding
District spends $20,729 per pupil, 44% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 52th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Rocky Mountain High School is a mid-sized high in Cowley, Wyoming, serving grades 09–12 with 360 students. The district invests $20,729 per student — 44% above the national average of $14,347, with a 17.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 25% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. The 62% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at Rocky Mountain High School

360
Total Students
17.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
25%
Free Lunch
21
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution173 male · 187 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility25%
National avg 52% · 91 students
Student Composition
87%
9%
White87%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Multiracial2%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 560142000046

Academic Outcomes at Rocky Mountain High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
60-64
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
62%
State avg
79%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
52
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 52th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 85th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 82420

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,729Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$20,729
State avg
$24,788
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,121
Student Support$3,938
Administration$2,487
Operations$3,109
Other$2,073
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $20,729 spent per student, an estimated $9,183 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
81%
State government
80.8%
Local (property tax)
11.3%
Federal programs
7.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $20,729/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 62% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Rocky Mountain ElementaryBurlington Elementary
↓
Middle
Rocky Mountain Middle SchoolBurlington Middle School
↓
High School
Burlington High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyBig Horn County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBig Horn County School District #1 →
Phone: (307)548-2723
NCES ID: 560142000046
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Cowley seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Big Horn County School District #1
Elem
Rocky Mountain Elementary
370 students · PK–05
● 52 opp42% FRL
Mid
Rocky Mountain Middle School
252 students · 06–08
● 52 opp38% FRL
Elem
Burlington Elementary
133 students · PK–05
● 48 opp49% FRL
High
Burlington High School
74 students · 09–12
● 48 opp38% FRL
Mid
Burlington Middle School
49 students · 06–08
● 48 opp53% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
404 South 3rd East, Cowley, WY 82420
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.