- Enrollment
- 962
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Helena, MT
Smith School
Federal NCES profile for Smith School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 300000500425
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smith School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Montana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Montana schools.
- #3 of 11
- schools in Helena · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.4:1
- students per teacher
- 217
- students enrolled
Smith School has class sizes near the Montana median. Computed live against every Montana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smith School ranks #3 of 11 schools in Helena, MT.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+2 students YoY
Smith School held near 292 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 19.6 → 19.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+2 students YoY 300000500425 · Helena, MT Other · SMALL · TRAD
217 enr · 11.4:1 · RII 45
Nearest enrollment peer: C R Anderson Middle Schl (962 students)
Smith School held near 292 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+2 headcount). Teacher FTE held 19.6 → 19.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Montana schools → · Find another →
Smith School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- C R Anderson M
C R Anderson Middle Schl
962 students
- Helena Middle
Helena Middle School
701 students
- Four Georgians
Four Georgians School
482 students
- Jim Darcy Scho
Jim Darcy School
473 students
- Rossiter Schoo 369
Rossiter School
369 students
- This school 217
Smith School
217 students
What this shows Smith School reports 217 students on the CCD universe file.
How Smith School compares
Smith 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 | 11.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 217 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
217
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 43% in Montana - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
55.3%
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
$13,752
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 217 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 70.5%
Hispanic or Latino 21.7%
African American 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.3%
Two or More 1.8%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: White at 70.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.4, Smith School is more mixed than the Montana school average of 23.6.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Helena Elem reports $13,752 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Smith School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| C R Anderson Middle Schl | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Helena Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Four Georgians School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jim Darcy School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rossiter School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Smith School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 701
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 482
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 473
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar other schools in Helena
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Four Georgians School
Standard public school
482 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Jim Darcy School
Standard public school
473 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Rossiter School
Standard public school
369 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Bryant School
Standard public school
288 students 16:1 students per teacher
Warren School
Standard public school
276 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Jefferson School
Standard public school
245 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other 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 (~217 students)
Frequently asked questions about Smith School
How many students attend Smith School?
Smith School has 217 students enrolled. It is a public school in Helena, MT. CCD year-over-year: 290 (2022-23) → 292 (2023-24), nearly flat (+2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smith School?
The student-teacher ratio at Smith School is 11.4:1, which is 3% lower than the Montana average of 11.8:1 and 27% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smith School?
The largest demographic group at Smith School is White at 70.5% of enrollment, in Helena, MT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smith School?
Smith School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Smith School rank among schools in Helena?
By Resource Investment Index, Smith School ranks #3 of 11 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 schools in Helena on the city page.
What other schools are in Helena Elem?
Besides Smith School, Helena Elem also operates C R Anderson Middle Schl (962 students), Helena Middle School (701 students), and Four Georgians School (482 students). See the Helena Elem district page for the complete list.