Enrollment
245
Elementary
DISTRICT 285 · STATE 167
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·HELENA ELEM·NCES 300000500421
Jefferson School
1023 Broadway, Helena, MT 59601 · (406) 324-2060 · Lewis and Clark County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY13-CITYREGULAR SCHOOL245 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
19.2:1
13 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.6:1 · STATE 11.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
20%
49 students
DISTRICT 40% · STATE 58%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 2 | 1% |
| Kindergarten | 40 | 16% |
| Grade 1 | 38 | 16% |
| Grade 2 | 40 | 16% |
| Grade 3 | 44 | 18% |
| Grade 4 | 35 | 14% |
| Grade 5 | 46 | 19% |
This year's kindergarten class (40) is 13% smaller than its 5th grade class (46).
Student demographics
26%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 29% · STATE 40% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
EDFacts (federal) 2020-21 . % Proficient (SY 20-21)English Language Arts
82.0%
MT avg 47.2%
Math
67.0%
MT avg 36.0%
What this means: On the EDFacts (federal), Montana's statewide test, about 82 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 67 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Montana schools, those numbers are about 47 and 36.
Source: EDFacts (federal). All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Schools most like Jefferson School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson School this school | 245 | 20.0% | N/A |
| Hawthorne School Helena | 183 | 20.8% | N/A |
| Monforton School Bozeman | 254 | 18.5% | N/A |
| Independent School Billings | 272 | 31.3% | N/A |
| Poly Drive School Billings | 283 | 33.9% | N/A |
| Elder Grove School Billings | 465 | 19.8% | N/A |
Matched among Montana elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Jefferson School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Montana | In Lewis and Clark County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 67.0% | #5 of 199 | #1 of 12 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 82.0% | #1 of 201 | #1 of 12 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 245 | #135 of 421 | #8 of 20 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 19.2:1 | #152 of 160 | #11 of 12 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 26.4% | #102 of 160 | #9 of 12 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 20.0% | #209 of 226 | #13 of 15 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -11.6% | #60 of 107 | #7 of 8 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
245
-14 (-5%) vs 2020
+1% since 1990-91, when it was 242
Student : Teacher
19.2:1
was 15.2:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 245 | 12.8 | 19.2:1 | 20% (49) |
| 2023-24 | 247 | 14.1 | 17.5:1 | 11% (28) |
| 2022-23 | 253 | 15.2 | 16.6:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 259 | 17 | 15.2:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 277 | 18 | 15.4:1 | 21% (58) |
| 2015-16 | 273 | 15 | 18.2:1 | 33% (90) |
| 2010-11 | 247 | 13 | 19.0:1 | 32% (79) |
| 2000-01 | 228 | 12 | 19.0:1 | 16% (37) |
| 1990-91 | 242 | 13 | 18.6:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Jefferson School.
Since 2017-18: students down 12% (277 to 245); teachers down 29% (18 to 12.8).
About Jefferson School
Jefferson School is a medium-sized elementary school based in Helena, Montana. It educates 245 students in pre-K through 5. The typical figure for elementary schools in Montana is about 167 students.
Jefferson School is one school in a 15-school district, Helena Elem, which enrolls 5,100 students.
Federal enrollment data show Jefferson School is 85% White. The school is also 9% Hispanic, 3% Native American, and 2% multiracial. The school's diversity index is 26%, meaning two students picked at random have a 26% chance of belonging to different racial or ethnic groups.
The school has about 19.2 students per teacher and 12.8 full-time-equivalent teachers. The school has more students per teacher than the 11.9:1 average for elementary schools in Montana. About 20% of enrolled students meet the income rules for free or reduced-price lunch. That is lower than the 38% average for public schools in Lewis and Clark County.
Among Lewis and Clark County residents, the median household income is $78,237, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 43% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 3%. Jefferson School is one of 36 public schools in the county.
Nearby, Central School is about 0.7 miles away. There are at least 8 more public schools inside five miles.
The school is inside a principal city with a population under 100,000, according to its NCES locale (City: Small).
Enrollment has fallen by 14 students since 2020-21, to 245. The school's ratio rose from 15.2:1 to 19.2:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
To ask about science fairs, picture day, and bus routes, start a discussion on this page. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.
Lewis and Clark County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
73,464
Census ACS
Median income
$78,237
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
43%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
3%
Below federal line
Schools in county
36
9,786 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Helena Elem
- C R Anderson Middle SchlMiddle · 962 students
- Helena Middle SchoolMiddle · 701 students
- Four Georgians SchoolElementary · 482 students
- Jim Darcy SchoolElementary · 473 students
- Rossiter SchoolElementary · 369 students
- Bryant SchoolElementary · 288 students
Other schools in Helena
- Capital High SchoolHigh · 1,293 students
- Helena High SchoolHigh · 979 students
- C R Anderson Middle SchlMiddle · 962 students
- Helena Middle SchoolMiddle · 701 students
- Four Georgians SchoolElementary · 482 students
- Jim Darcy SchoolElementary · 473 students
Other Jefferson schools
12 other US public schools in 8 states are named Jefferson. Jefferson School is the 11th largest of the 13.
- Jefferson SchoolGlendive, MT · 247 students
- Jefferson SchoolMiles City, MT · 98 students
- JeffersonSacramento, CA · 735 students
- Jefferson SchoolJefferson, LA · 619 students
- JeffersonHawthorne, CA · 549 students
Nearby schools
- Central School0.7 mi · 242
- Helena Middle School0.8 mi · 701
- Helena High School0.8 mi · 979
- Bryant School1.0 mi · 288
- Helena P.A.L.1.0 mi · 58
- Smith School1.2 mi · 217
Frequently asked questions
About Jefferson SchoolWhat is the total enrollment at Jefferson School?
Jefferson School enrolls approximately 245 students in grades PK-05.
What grades does Jefferson School serve?
Jefferson School serves grades PK-05.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Jefferson School is approximately 19.2:1 (13 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at Jefferson School?
At Jefferson School, the student body is approximately 85% White, 9% Hispanic, 1% Black, 0% Asian, 2% Two or more.
Who oversees Jefferson School?
Jefferson School is overseen by Helena Elem in Lewis and Clark County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.