Enrollment
217
Elementary
DISTRICT 285 · STATE 167
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·HELENA ELEM·NCES 300000500425
Smith School
2320 5th Avenue, Helena, MT 59601 · (406) 324-1530 · Lewis and Clark County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY13-CITYREGULAR SCHOOL217 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
13.5:1
16 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.6:1 · STATE 11.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
35%
77 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 | 1 | 0% |
| Kindergarten | 40 | 18% |
| Grade 1 | 33 | 15% |
| Grade 2 | 33 | 15% |
| Grade 3 | 40 | 18% |
| Grade 4 | 30 | 14% |
| Grade 5 | 40 | 18% |
This year's kindergarten class (40) is about the same size as its 5th grade class (40).
Student demographics
45%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
52.0%
MT avg 47.2%
Math
42.0%
MT avg 36.0%
What this means: On the EDFacts (federal), Montana's statewide test, about 52 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 42 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 Smith School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith School this school | 217 | 35.5% | N/A |
| Whittier School Bozeman | 262 | 36.6% | N/A |
| Rose Park School Billings | 277 | 49.1% | N/A |
| Irving School Bozeman | 174 | 46.6% | N/A |
| Rossiter School Helena | 369 | 36.3% | N/A |
| Helena Montessori Charter Schl Helena | 198 | 19.7% | 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 Smith School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Montana | In Lewis and Clark County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 42.0% | #74 of 199 | #5 of 12 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 52.0% | #57 of 201 | #4 of 12 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 217 | #150 of 421 | #11 of 20 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.5:1 | #51 of 160 | #3 of 12 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 45.4% | #43 of 160 | #2 of 12 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 35.5% | #165 of 226 | #8 of 15 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -32.2% | #8 of 107 | #1 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
217
-39 (-15%) vs 2020
-29% since 1990-91, when it was 304
Student : Teacher
13.5:1
was 13.5:1
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 | 217 | 16.1 | 13.5:1 | 35% (77) |
| 2023-24 | 292 | 19.8 | 14.8:1 | 24% (70) |
| 2022-23 | 290 | 19.6 | 14.8:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 256 | 19 | 13.5:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 320 | 20.3 | 15.8:1 | 32% (102) |
| 2015-16 | 301 | 21 | 14.3:1 | 37% (112) |
| 2010-11 | 310 | 17 | 18.2:1 | 38% (119) |
| 2000-01 | 306 | 19 | 16.1:1 | 24% (72) |
| 1990-91 | 304 | 13 | 23.4:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Smith School.
Since 2017-18: students down 32% (320 to 217); teachers down 21% (20.3 to 16.1).
About Smith School
Smith School is a medium-sized elementary school in Helena, Montana. It serves 217 students in pre-K through 5. For comparison, elementary schools in Montana average about 167 students.
Helena Elem is made up of 15 schools with 5,100 students in all.
White students account for 71% of enrollment at Smith School. Other groups include 22% Hispanic, 3% Black, and 2% Native American. The county population is about 91% White. Smith School has a diversity index of 45%, compared with 70% for all US public school students.
Staffing totals 16.1 full-time-equivalent teachers, and the student-to-teacher ratio is 13.5:1. For comparison, elementary schools in Montana average 11.9:1. A measure often used for student poverty, free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, stands at 35%. That is close to the 38% average for public schools in Lewis and Clark County.
In Lewis and Clark County (population about 73,464), median household income is 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. Smith School is one of 36 public schools in Lewis and Clark County, which together enroll about 9,786 students.
The closest public school to Smith School is Bryant School, about 1.0 miles away. Other public schools within five miles number at least 8.
Smith School has an NCES locale of City: Small.
From 2020-21 to 2024-25, Smith School went from 256 students to 217.
Questions about science fairs, picture day, and bus routes can be posted here. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
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 Smith schools
One other US public school is named Smith. Smith School is the 2nd largest of the 2.
- Smith SchoolWest Hartford, CT · 342 students
Nearby schools
- Bryant School1.0 mi · 288
- Helena High School1.1 mi · 979
- Jefferson School1.2 mi · 245
- Helena Middle School1.4 mi · 701
- Helena Montessori Charter Schl1.5 mi · 198
- Mount Ascension Learning Ac MS1.5 mi · 22
Frequently asked questions
About Smith SchoolHow many students attend Smith School?
Smith School enrolls approximately 217 students in grades PK-05.
What grades does Smith School serve?
Smith School serves grades PK-05.
How many teachers does Smith School have?
Smith School employs 16 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.5:1.
How diverse is Smith School?
Smith School reports a student body of 71% White, 22% Hispanic, 3% Black, 1% Asian, 2% Two or more.
Who oversees Smith School?
Smith 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.