Northwest Montana News

Plains High School had a total attendance of 150 students during the 2020-21 school year, according to the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

Attendance at the school saw a 0.7 percent increase over the previous school year.

According to data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment is projected to increase by seven percent in Montana from 2017 to 2029. The state expected to see the largest increase in enrollment is North Dakota, with a projected 16% increase. The state that is expected to see the largest decrease in enrollment is New Mexico, with a projected 12% decrease.

According to the findings of a study conducted by Montana Small Schools Alliance, student enrollment in Montana has a significant impact on a number of factors such as a decrease in school funding, elimination of faculty, and possible school consolidation or closure.

Ranking	School	Enrollment (2020-21)	Previous Year Enrollment (2019-20)
1	Flathead High School	1,607	1,516
2	Glacier High School	1,345	1,328
3	Butte High School	1,280	1,216
4	Sentinel High School	1,278	1,250
5	Hellgate High School	1,210	1,177
6	Big Sky High School	1,137	1,100
7	Belgrade Middle School	1,053	1,088
8	Kalispell Middle School	1,030	1,061
9	Belgrade High School	987	1,001
10	Sacajawea Middle School	830	862
11	East Middle School	809	831
12	North Middle School	759	787
13	Chief Joseph Middle School	742	760
14	Washington Middle School	668	666
15	East Middle School	647	650
16	Laurel High School	646	641
17	Browning High School	611	595
18	Porter Middle School	604	626
19	Laurel Middle School	590	636
20	Whitefish High School	588	579
…
180	Red Lodge High School	185	191
180	Choteau School	185	183
182	Helena Flats School	184	197
182	Three Forks 7-8	184	193
184	Belt School	179	180
185	Blue Creek School	177	189
186	Columbus Middle School	176	199
186	Fort Benton School	176	178
188	Edna Thomas School	174	195
189	Lame Deer High School	172	132
190	Harlem High School	171	166
191	Superior Elementary	169	173
192	Lewistown 7-8	165	187
193	Hillcrest School	161	174
194	Poplar 7-8	160	152
195	Northside School	158	189
196	Darby School	157	155
197	Powell County High School	156	187
198	Colstrip High School	152	166
199	Forsyth Elementary School	151	169
200	Plains High School	150	149
201	Target Range 7-8	148	155
202	Rocky Boy High School	147	140
203	Swan River School	146	150
203	Whitehall High School	146	132
203	Bigfork 7-8	146	131
206	Eastgate School	143	145
207	Amsterdam School	136	143
207	Florence-Carlton 7-8	136	128
209	Troy High School	135	141
210	Highland Park School	132	139
210	Lodge Pole School	132	106
212	Baker High School	130	129
213	Longfellow School	128	140
214	Ennis High School	127	115
215	Malta High School	124	138
216	Lone Rock School	122	132
217	Joliet High School	121	106
218	Roosevelt Junior High	119	129
219	Wolf Point 7-8	118	129
219	Huntley Project 7-8	118	117
…
463	North Harlem Elementary	9	13
463	Dixon 7-8	9	11
463	Willow Creek 7-8	9	10
463	King Colony School	9	9
463	Winnett 7-8	9	8
463	Alzada School	9	8
463	Reed Point 7-8	9	6
463	Benton Lake School	9	6
472	Augusta 7-8	8	9
472	Zenith Elementary	8	8
472	Spring Creek School	8	6
475	Denton High School	7	15
475	Hysham High School	7	13
475	Saco 7-8	7	10
475	Hysham 7-8	7	9
475	Divide School	7	7
475	Greycliff School	7	6
475	Ayers School	7	6
482	Jackson School	6	5
483	Carter School	5	11