Public schools in Chester, MT
5 open public schools with an address in Chester, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
5
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
236
5 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
11:1
Montana median 11.8:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Chester public schools
The federal directory lists 5 public schools in Chester, MT: 3 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high. The 5 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 236 students, an average of 47 per school. The largest campus is Chester-Joplin-Inverness Schl (124 students).
Chester-Joplin-Inverness El operates the most schools here (4), and 2 regular districts have at least one Chester campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 11:1, lower than the statewide school median of 11.8:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
About 58% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Chester
Elementary schools in Chester
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester-Joplin-Inverness Schl Chester-Joplin-Inverness El | PK–06 | 124 | 12.8:1 | |
| Hi-Line Colony School Chester-Joplin-Inverness El | PK–08 | 23 | 11.5:1 | |
| Sage Creek Elementary Chester-Joplin-Inverness El | PK–08 | 5 | 4:1 |
Middle schools in Chester
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester-Joplin-Inverness 7-8 Chester-Joplin-Inverness El | 07–08 | 30 | 7:1 |
High schools in Chester
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS | 09–12 | 54 | 11:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White94.1%
- Hispanic0.9%
- Black1.7%
- Asian0.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.8%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander1.3%
- Multiracial0.4%
Enrollment-weighted across 5 Chester schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (236 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Chester
How many public schools are in Chester, MT?
The current NCES directory lists 5 open public schools with a location address in Chester: 3 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high. Together they reported 236 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Chester?
Schools with an address in Chester belong to 2 education agencies, led by Chester-Joplin-Inverness El (4 schools), Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Chester?
Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS reported the largest high-school enrollment in Chester, with 54 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Chester?
No school with an address in Chester is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Montana.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Chester schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Chester public schools is 11:1, lower than the Montana school median of 11.8:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Chester guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Montana cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Montana cities