Enrollment
955
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Helena, AL
Helena Intermediate School
Federal NCES profile for Helena Intermediate School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010303001442
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 85
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Helena Intermediate School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Helena · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.2:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 24.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Helena Intermediate School has class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Helena Intermediate School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Helena, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.2:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Helena Intermediate School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Helena Intermediate School
Helena Intermediate School is a large elementary school in Helena, Alabama, enrolling 955 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.2:1 is larger than about 91% of Alabama schools and 20% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 24.1% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the Alabama average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 92% of state schools at 955 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 96 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #45.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 637 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Helena's elementary schools, it stands alongside Helena Elementary School (778 students): Helena Intermediate School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.2:1 vs 16.9:1).
Shelby County also operates Oak Mountain High School (1,648 students) and Helena High School (1,383 students) alongside Helena Intermediate School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Helena Intermediate School compares
Helena Intermediate School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.2:1 | ▲ 20% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.1% | ▼ 59% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 955 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.2:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
955
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.2:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 91% in Alabama - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
6.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,253
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 637 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 72.3%
African American 12.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%
Two or More 3.5%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 72.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.0, Helena Intermediate School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shelby County, which includes Helena Intermediate School.
$11,253
Per student
-10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.9%
State 51.9%
Federal 9.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Helena Intermediate School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Mountain High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Helena High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chelsea High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oak Mountain Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Calera High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Helena Intermediate School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,648
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,383
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,235
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,168
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,018
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Helena
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~955 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Helena Intermediate School's federal record.
- Compare Helena Intermediate School against another school. Compare schools
- Shelby County's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Helena Intermediate School
How many students attend Helena Intermediate School?
Helena Intermediate School has 955 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Helena, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Helena Intermediate School?
The student-teacher ratio at Helena Intermediate School is 21.2:1, which is 20% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 35% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Helena Intermediate School?
24.1% of students at Helena Intermediate School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Helena Intermediate School?
The largest demographic group at Helena Intermediate School is White at 72.3% of enrollment, in Helena, AL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Helena Intermediate School?
Helena Intermediate School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Helena Intermediate School rank among public schools in Helena?
By Resource Investment Index, Helena Intermediate School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Helena, AL. 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.
Is Helena Intermediate School a good school?
Helena Intermediate School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Alabama schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Shelby County?
Besides Helena Intermediate School, Shelby County also operates Oak Mountain High School (1,648 students), Helena High School (1,383 students), and Chelsea High School (1,235 students). See the Shelby County district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.