Public schools in Polson, MT
5 open public schools with an address in Polson, operated by 3 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
1,627
5 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.6:1
Montana median 11.8:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Polson public schools
The federal directory lists 5 public schools in Polson, MT: 3 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high. The 5 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 1,627 students, an average of 325 per school. The largest campus is Polson High School (517 students), and the largest elementary school is Linderman Elementary School (355).
Polson Elem operates the most schools here (3), and 3 regular districts have at least one Polson 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 13.6:1, higher 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 57% 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 Polson
Elementary schools in Polson
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Valley Elementary Polson Elem | PK–02 | 243 | 12.6:1 | |
| Linderman Elementary School Polson Elem | 03–05 | 355 | 15.5:1 | |
| Valley View School Valley View Elem | PK–06 | 35 | 8.8:1 |
Middle schools in Polson
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polson Middle School Polson Elem | 06–08 | 477 | 16.1:1 |
High schools in Polson
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polson High School Polson H S | 09–12 | 517 | 13.6:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White58.6%
- Hispanic3.1%
- Black0.7%
- Asian0.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native34.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial2.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 5 Polson schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (1,627 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Polson
How many public schools are in Polson, MT?
The current NCES directory lists 5 open public schools with a location address in Polson: 3 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high. Together they reported 1,627 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Polson?
Schools with an address in Polson belong to 3 education agencies, led by Polson Elem (3 schools), Polson H S (1 school), Valley View Elem (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 Polson?
Polson High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Polson, with 517 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Polson?
No school with an address in Polson 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 Polson schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Polson public schools is 13.6:1, higher 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 Polson 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