Broadwater School

As a mid-sized elementary-level community in Helena, Montana, Broadwater School teaches 207 students from grades pre-K through 5, operated by Helena Elem. Enrollment runs roughly 24% larger than the state mean of about 167.

Broadwater School is one of 15 schools operated by Helena Elem, a district that instructs 5,100 students overall.

Looking at the student body, Broadwater School lists that White students make up the majority at 79%. The remainder reads as 9% Hispanic, 6% Native American, 3% multiracial. By comparison, Lewis and Clark County as a whole is about 91% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.5:1 students per teacher. That tracks the state average closely. Around 73% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Lewis and Clark County (around 38%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

In the surrounding community, community-level numbers for Lewis and Clark County indicate median household income runs about $78,237, 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 3%. In all, Lewis and Clark County runs 36 public schools (combined enrollment of about 9,786 students), of which Broadwater School is one.

The closest other public school is C R Anderson Middle Schl, roughly 0.5 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Geographically, the school is in a high-density area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Broadwater School has contracted 18%, going from 253 students in 2018 to 207 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 87% to 79% across the same window. Class-load math has tightened: from 15.8:1 in 2018 to 12.5:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, members of the Broadwater School community share and discuss science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.