- Enrollment
- 979
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Helena, MT
Capital High School
Federal NCES profile for Capital High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 301383000429
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Capital High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of Montana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Montana.
- #8 of 15
- public schools in Helena · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- large classes for Montana
- 1,293
- students enrolled
Capital High School has class sizes larger than 74% of Montana schools. Computed live against every Montana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Capital High School ranks #8 of 15 public schools in Helena, MT.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-60 students YoY
Capital High School held near 1,367 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-60 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 88.5 → 85.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-60 students YoY 301383000429 · Helena, MT High · MID · TRAD
1,293 enr · 14.7:1 · RII 40
Nearest enrollment peer: Helena High School (979 students)
Capital High School held near 1,367 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-60 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 88.5 → 85.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Montana schools → · Find another →
How Capital High School compares
Capital High School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Montana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Montana | Montana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▲ 25% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 1,293 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,293
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 74% in Montana - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
34.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,044
per pupil, district-wide
- below Montana avg of $19,859
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 323 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
51
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 87.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%
Two or More 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Asian 1.2%
African American 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 87.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.2, Capital High School is about as mixed as the Montana school average of 23.6.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Helena H S reports $13,044 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Capital High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helena High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Capital High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
Similar high schools in Helena
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,293 students)
Frequently asked questions about Capital High School
How many students attend Capital High School?
Capital High School has 1,293 students enrolled. It is a high school in Helena, MT. CCD year-over-year: 1,427 (2022-23) → 1,367 (2023-24), nearly flat (-60).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Capital High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Capital High School is 14.7:1, which is 25% higher than the Montana average of 11.8:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Capital High School?
The largest demographic group at Capital High School is White at 87.4% of enrollment, in Helena, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Capital High School?
Capital High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Capital High School rank among public schools in Helena?
By Resource Investment Index, Capital High School ranks #8 of 15 public schools in Helena, MT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Helena on the city page.
What other schools are in Helena H S?
Besides Capital High School, Helena H S also operates Helena High School (979 students). See the Helena H S district page for the complete list.