Smith School

Smith School operates as a reasonably sized K-5 school in Helena, Montana, operated by Helena Elem. Current enrollment sits at 217 students spanning grades pre-K through 5. By comparison, Montana's public schools average about 167 students each, so Smith School sits 30% above that benchmark.

Helena Elem runs 15 schools in total, collectively educating 5,100 students. Smith School is one of those campuses.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Smith School records that 71% of the student body identifies as White. Other groups include 22% Hispanic, 3% Black, 2% Native American. By comparison, Lewis and Clark County as a whole is about 91% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 16 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.5:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 11.9:1, putting Smith School higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 35% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

In the broader community, Lewis and Clark County reports that median household income runs about $78,237, roughly 43% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 3% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Lewis and Clark County runs 36 public schools (combined enrollment of about 9,786 students), of which Smith School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Bryant School, around 1.0 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Smith School.

Geographically, the school is in a downtown area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 32%: 320 students in 2018 compared to 217 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 3% to 22% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 15.8:1 in 2018 to 13.5:1 today.

On allk12, the feed for Smith School typically covers enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.