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Helena, Montana - 2 schools
An equity score of 40/100 ranks Helena H S #54 of 141 districts in Montana (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,331 per pupil, Helena H S ranks #271 of 394 Montana districts by per-pupil spending (Montana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
2,514
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$13,331
Per-Pupil Spending
High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Helena H S operates 2 public schools serving 2,514 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Montana. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Lewis and Clark County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,331 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 394 Montana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Montana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 44.0% local, 44.9% state, and 11.1% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 40/100, ranked #54 of 141 in Montana against a state average of 38, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (28 AP courses district-wide), a 284.1:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat 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.
Its largest campus is Capital High School, enrolling 1,293 students (57% of the district's total enrollment).
Capital High School accounts for 51.4% of all Helena H S student enrollment
That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Helena H S a distant remainder — 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 $13,331 per student. The district has an equity score of 40/100, ranking #54 in Montana.
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 40/100, ranking #54 out of 141 districts in Montana.