Enrollment
269
Elementary
DISTRICT 286 · STATE 167
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·EAST HELENA K-12·NCES 300065501122
Prickly Pear Elem
2520 Valley Drive, East Helena, MT 59635 · (406) 227-7700 · Lewis and Clark County
GRADES 01–02ELEMENTARY41-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL269 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
16.2:1
17 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 16.3:1 · STATE 11.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
44%
118 students
DISTRICT 48% · 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 125 | 46% |
| Grade 2 | 144 | 54% |
Student demographics
28%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
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Prickly Pear Elem→Radley Elementary School
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within East Helena K-12. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Schools most like Prickly Pear Elem
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prickly Pear Elem this school | 269 | 43.9% | N/A |
| B A Winans School Livingston | 267 | 42.7% | N/A |
| East Side School Livingston | 249 | 46.2% | N/A |
| Jefferson School Glendive | 247 | 46.2% | N/A |
| Lincoln School Glendive | 260 | 51.2% | N/A |
| West Side Elementary Sidney | 288 | 39.6% | 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 Prickly Pear Elem ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Montana | In Lewis and Clark County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 269 | #112 of 421 | #7 of 20 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.2:1 | #119 of 160 | #7 of 12 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 28.0% | #91 of 160 | #8 of 12 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 43.9% | #136 of 226 | #6 of 15 |
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
269
+16 (+6%) vs 2020
Student : Teacher
16.2:1
was 14.1:1
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 | 269 | 16.6 | 16.2:1 | 44% (118) |
| 2023-24 | 285 | 17.6 | 16.2:1 | 45% (127) |
| 2022-23 | 272 | 17.6 | 15.5:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 253 | 18 | 14.1:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Prickly Pear Elem.
About Prickly Pear Elem
Prickly Pear Elem is one of the public schools in East Helena, Montana. It is a large elementary school. Enrollment totals 269 students across grades 1 through 2. Across elementary schools in Montana, the average enrollment is about 167.
East Helena K-12 (7 schools, 1,972 students) runs Prickly Pear Elem.
White students are 84% of those enrolled at Prickly Pear Elem. The remaining shares are 7% Hispanic, 6% multiracial, and 2% Native American. Its diversity index, the chance that two randomly chosen students belong to different racial or ethnic groups, is 28%.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.2:1. The school has 16.6 full-time-equivalent teachers. The gap from the 11.9:1 average for elementary schools in Montana is 4.3 students per teacher. In all, 44% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
The school's county is Lewis and Clark County. According to Census Bureau estimates, median household income comes to about $78,237, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 43%, and about 3% of people live in poverty. Lewis and Clark County's 36 public schools enroll about 9,786 students and include Prickly Pear Elem.
Radley Elementary School is about 0.2 miles from Prickly Pear Elem, the shortest distance to any other public school. Counting only straight-line distance, at least 8 other public schools are within five miles.
For locale, NCES codes Prickly Pear Elem as Rural: Fringe.
Enrollment was 269 in 2024-25. In 2020-21, it was 253. Staffing shifted too: the ratio moved from 14.1:1 to 16.2:1.
People who know Prickly Pear Elem can post here about open houses, carpools, and field trips. 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 East Helena K-12
- East Helena High SchoolHigh · 563 students
- East Valley Middle SchoolMiddle · 471 students
- Radley Elementary SchoolElementary · 428 students
- Eastgate SchoolElementary · 161 students
- 227 Academy- HSHigh · 59 students
- 227 Academy- middle schoolMiddle · 21 students
Other schools in East Helena
- East Helena High SchoolHigh · 563 students
- East Valley Middle SchoolMiddle · 471 students
- Radley Elementary SchoolElementary · 428 students
- Eastgate SchoolElementary · 161 students
- 227 Academy- HSHigh · 59 students
- 227 Academy- middle schoolMiddle · 21 students
Nearby schools
- Radley Elementary School0.2 mi · 428
- East Valley Middle School0.5 mi · 471
- 227 Academy- middle school0.5 mi · 21
- 227 Academy- HS0.5 mi · 59
- East Helena High School0.5 mi · 563
- Eastgate School1.1 mi · 161
Frequently asked questions
About Prickly Pear ElemHow large is Prickly Pear Elem?
Prickly Pear Elem enrolls approximately 269 students in grades 01-02.
Is Prickly Pear Elem an elementary, middle, or high school?
Prickly Pear Elem is an elementary school covering grades 01-02.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prickly Pear Elem?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Prickly Pear Elem is approximately 16.2:1 (17 FTE teachers).
How diverse is Prickly Pear Elem?
Prickly Pear Elem reports a student body of 84% White, 7% Hispanic, 0% Black, 1% Asian, 6% Two or more.
Is Prickly Pear Elem public or private?
Prickly Pear Elem is a public K-12 school, overseen by East Helena K-12.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.