Public schools in Helena, MT
19 open public schools with an address in Helena, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
19
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
7,290
19 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.6:1
Montana median 11.8:1
Charter schools
0
2 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Helena public schools
The federal directory lists 19 public schools in Helena, MT: 12 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high. The 19 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 7,290 students, an average of 384 per school. The largest campus is Capital High School (1,293 students), and the largest elementary school is Four Georgians School (482).
Helena Elem operates the most schools here (15), and 2 regular districts have at least one Helena 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 15.6:1, 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.
School choice options include 2 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 36% 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 Helena
Elementary schools in Helena
12| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadwater School Helena Elem | PK–05 | 207 | 12.5:1 | |
| Bryant School Helena Elem | PK–05 | 288 | 14.1:1 | |
| Central School Helena Elem | PK–05 | 242 | 13.9:1 | |
| Four Georgians School Helena Elem | PK–05 | 482 | 16.9:1 | |
| Helena Montessori Charter Schl Helena Elem | KG–05 | 198 | 17.8:1 | |
| Jefferson School Helena Elem | PK–05 | 245 | 19.2:1 | |
| Jim Darcy School Helena Elem | PK–05 | 473 | 18.8:1 | |
| Kessler Elementary School Helena Elem | PK–05 | 235 | 13.2:1 | |
| Mount Ascension Learning Ac EL Helena Elem | KG–05 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Rossiter School Helena Elem | PK–05 | 369 | 17.4:1 | |
| Smith School Helena Elem · Magnet | PK–05 | 217 | 13.5:1 | |
| Warren School Helena Elem | PK–05 | 276 | 15.5:1 |
Middle schools in Helena
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C R Anderson Middle Schl Helena Elem | 06–08 | 962 | 16.4:1 | |
| Helena Middle School Helena Elem | 06–08 | 701 | 17.1:1 | |
| Mount Ascension Learning Ac MS Helena Elem | 06–08 | 22 | 13:1 |
High schools in Helena
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital High School Helena H S | 09–12 | 1,293 | 16.3:1 | |
| Helena High School Helena H S · Magnet | 09–12 | 979 | 15.6:1 | |
| Helena P.A.L. Helena H S · Alternative School | 09–12 | 58 | 8.2:1 | |
| Mount Ascension Learning Ac HS Helena H S | 09–12 | 43 | 29.7:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White84.3%
- Hispanic7.6%
- Black1.1%
- Asian0.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native2.7%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial3.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 18 Helena schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (7,290 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Helena
How many public schools are in Helena, MT?
The current NCES directory lists 19 open public schools with a location address in Helena: 12 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high. Together they reported 7,290 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Helena?
Schools with an address in Helena belong to 2 education agencies, led by Helena Elem (15 schools), Helena H S (4 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Helena?
Capital High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Helena, with 1,293 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Helena?
No school with an address in Helena 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 Helena schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Helena public schools is 15.6:1, 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 Helena 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