Carter County Schools & Education
Carter County, Montana
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
43/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
75.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
75.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 83.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$9,424
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,334
School Score
43/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#40
of 56 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Carter County
Measured School Summary
Carter County has midrange measured school signals (score: 43/100) with a graduation rate of 75.0%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Carter County spends $9,424 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 21% below the Montana average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 8.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Carter County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
6 public schools and 4 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
43/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #40 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.
Completion
75.0%
8.7 pts below the state average
Funding context
$9,424
$90 above the state average
School coverage
6
4 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Carter County has 6 public schools across 4 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Carter County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Mixed school landscape
Carter County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#40
of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 12 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Ekalaka Elem
Elementary and middle visible
81 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
Carter County H S
High school only in this slice
43 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Alzada Elem
Elementary school only in this slice
13 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Hawks Home Elem
Elementary school only in this slice
12 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Ekalaka Elem is the largest listed district slice, with 2 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Carter County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Carter County district systems?
Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Carter County, Montana
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Small-Scale Schooling in Carter
Carter County hosts six public schools serving a total of 149 students across four school districts. The infrastructure consists of four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
Ekalaka Leads Local Education
Ekalaka Elementary is the largest district, serving 81 students across two schools. Public education is the only option in the county, as charter schools represent 0% of the educational landscape.
Ultra-Small Rural School Experience
Every school is rural, with a tiny average enrollment of just 25 students per school. Ekalaka Elementary is the largest with 62 students, while Hammond School provides a truly unique environment for just 10 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
6
in Carter County
Reported Enrollment
149
6 schools reporting
School Districts
4
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
4 School Districts in Carter County
Ekalaka Elem
Carter County H S
Alzada Elem
Hawks Home Elem
6 Public Schools in Carter County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 6 of 6 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ekalaka Elementary School | Record | Ekalaka Elem | Ekalaka, 59324Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 62 |
| Carter County High School | Record | Carter County H S | Ekalaka, 59324Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 43 |
| Ekalaka 7-8 | Record | Ekalaka Elem | Ekalaka, 59324Rural: Remote | 7–8 | Middle | 19 |
| Alzada School | Record | Alzada Elem | Alzada, 59311Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 13 |
| Hammond School | Record | Hawks Home Elem | Hammond, 59332Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 10 |
| Hawks Home School | Record | Hawks Home Elem | Hammond, 59332Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 2 |
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$9,424
State avg $9,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Carter County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Montana counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Montana?
How should I read the school score in Carter County?
What is the graduation rate in Carter County?
How much does Carter County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Carter County, Montana — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Carter County, Montana?
Carter County hosts six public schools serving a total of 149 students across four school districts. The infrastructure consists of four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
What are the major school districts in Carter County, Montana?
Ekalaka Elementary is the largest district, serving 81 students across two schools. Public education is the only option in the county, as charter schools represent 0% of the educational landscape.
What is the school experience like in Carter County?
Every school is rural, with a tiny average enrollment of just 25 students per school. Ekalaka Elementary is the largest with 62 students, while Hammond School provides a truly unique environment for just 10 students.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.