Helena H S operates 2 public schools serving 2,514 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Montana. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 2,272 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Lewis and Clark County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,301 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 44.0% local, 44.9% state, and 11.1% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $101,489 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 32/100, ranked #90 of 141 in Montana against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (28 AP courses district-wide), a 284.1:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 41.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 85.5% White, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American across the district's schools.
Capital High School accounts for 56.9% of all Helena H S student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Helena H S-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Helena H S student-counselor ratio is 284:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Helena H S is typically wider than the Helena H S-aggregate figure suggests.
Helena H S chronic absenteeism rate is 41.0% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Helena H S has 2 schools, including 2 high. Total enrollment is 2,514 students.
How much does Helena H S spend per student?
Helena H S spends $14,301 per student. The district has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #90 in Montana.
What is the average teacher salary in Helena H S?
The average teacher salary in Helena H S is $101,489 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Helena H S?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Lewis and Clark County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Helena H S?
Helena H S students are 85.5% White, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% African American, 1.2% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Helena H S?
Helena H S has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #90 out of 141 districts in Montana. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.