Enrollment
235
Elementary
DISTRICT 285 · STATE 167
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·HELENA ELEM·NCES 300000500337
Kessler Elementary School
2420 Choteau Street, Helena, MT 59601 · (406) 324-1700 · Lewis and Clark County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY13-CITYREGULAR SCHOOL235 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
13.2:1
18 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.6:1 · STATE 11.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
34%
80 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 | 35 | 15% |
| Grade 1 | 38 | 16% |
| Grade 2 | 33 | 14% |
| Grade 3 | 47 | 20% |
| Grade 4 | 43 | 18% |
| Grade 5 | 37 | 16% |
This year's kindergarten class (35) is 5% smaller than its 5th grade class (37).
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
42.0%
MT avg 47.2%
Math
37.0%
MT avg 36.0%
What this means: On the EDFacts (federal), Montana's statewide test, about 42 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 37 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 Kessler Elementary School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kessler Elementary School this school | 235 | 34.0% | N/A |
| Rossiter School Helena | 369 | 36.3% | N/A |
| Columbus Elem School Columbus | 278 | 34.2% | N/A |
| Paxson School Missoula | 415 | 37.6% | N/A |
| Poly Drive School Billings | 283 | 33.9% | N/A |
| Central Elementary Sidney | 272 | 40.1% | 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 Kessler Elementary School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Montana | In Lewis and Clark County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 37.0% | #97 of 199 | #7 of 12 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 42.0% | #117 of 201 | #10 of 12 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 235 | #142 of 421 | #10 of 20 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.2:1 | #46 of 160 | #2 of 12 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 26.1% | #105 of 160 | #10 of 12 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 34.0% | #172 of 226 | #9 of 15 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -12.0% | #55 of 107 | #6 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
235
+23 (+11%) vs 2020
-5% since 2000-01, when it was 247
Student : Teacher
13.2:1
was 11.8:1
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 | 235 | 17.9 | 13.2:1 | 34% (80) |
| 2023-24 | 248 | 17.3 | 14.3:1 | 21% (52) |
| 2022-23 | 238 | 19 | 12.5:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 212 | 18 | 11.8:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 267 | 17 | 15.7:1 | 32% (86) |
| 2015-16 | 267 | 15 | 17.8:1 | 33% (88) |
| 2010-11 | 258 | 14 | 18.4:1 | 24% (63) |
| 2000-01 | 247 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Kessler Elementary School.
Since 2017-18: students down 12% (267 to 235); teachers up 5% (17 to 17.9).
About Kessler Elementary School
Kessler Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school that serves part of Helena, Montana. Its enrollment is 235 students, spread over pre-K through 5. On average, elementary schools in Montana enroll around 167, and this school is 41% bigger than that mark.
The Helena Elem system has 15 schools and 5,100 students.
The share of White students at Kessler Elementary School is 86%. Enrollment also includes 8% Hispanic, 3% Native American, and 2% Black. The diversity index for Kessler Elementary School is 26%. For US public schools as a whole it is 70%.
Classroom staffing at Kessler Elementary School totals 17.9 full-time-equivalent teachers, and the student-to-teacher ratio is 13.2:1. Compared with the 11.9:1 average for elementary schools in Montana, this school's ratio is higher. Federal data show 34% of students (80) are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
American Community Survey estimates for Lewis and Clark County show that median household income comes to about $78,237, roughly 43% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and about 3% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Lewis and Clark County counts 36 public schools with about 9,786 students.
Of the public schools around it, Kessler Elementary School is closest to C R Anderson Middle Schl, about 1.0 miles away. Kessler Elementary School has at least 8 other public schools within five miles.
Under the NCES locale system, Kessler Elementary School is City: Small.
Enrollment was 235 in 2024-25. In 2020-21, it was 212. The ratio of students to teachers went from 11.8:1 to 13.2:1 over the same years.
Kessler Elementary School has a community page on allk12 for topics such as pickup and drop-off, after-school programs, and teacher feedback. Teachers and staff are welcome to share updates too.
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 Kessler Elementary schools
One other US public school is named Kessler Elementary. Kessler Elementary School is the 2nd largest of the 2.
- Kessler Elementary SchoolLongview, WA · 349 students
Nearby schools
- C R Anderson Middle Schl1.0 mi · 962
- Capital High School1.3 mi · 1,293
- Broadwater School1.3 mi · 207
- Hawthorne School1.7 mi · 183
- Four Georgians School2.0 mi · 482
- Helena P.A.L.2.0 mi · 58
Frequently asked questions
About Kessler Elementary SchoolHow many students attend Kessler Elementary School?
Kessler Elementary School enrolls approximately 235 students in grades PK-05.
What grades does Kessler Elementary School serve?
Kessler Elementary School serves grades PK-05.
How many teachers does Kessler Elementary School have?
Kessler Elementary School employs 18 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.2:1.
What is the student diversity at Kessler Elementary School?
Student demographics at Kessler Elementary School are roughly 86% White, 8% Hispanic, 2% Black, 1% Two or more.
What district is Kessler Elementary School in?
Kessler Elementary School is part of Helena Elem.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.