Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 13 schools in district

Smith School

2320 5th Avenue, Helena, MT 59601Helena Elem →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
290
Students
Total enrolled
$14,602
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
14.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 290 students in grades PK–05 in Helena, Montana.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,602 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 47th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Smith School is a mid-sized elementary in Helena, Montana, serving grades PK–05 with 290 students. The district invests $14,602 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm.

Student Body & Demographics at Smith School

290
Total Students
14.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
20
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution160 male · 130 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Student Composition
67%
24%
White67%
Hispanic / Latino24%
Black1%
Multiracial2%
Native American5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 300000500425

Academic Outcomes at Smith School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
47
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 47th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 66th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 59601

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,602Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,602
State avg
$23,403
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,425
Student Support$2,774
Administration$1,752
Operations$2,190
Other$1,460
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,602 spent per student, an estimated $6,469 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
37%
41%
State government
37.0%
Local (property tax)
41.1%
Federal programs
21.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Jim Darcy SchoolFour Georgians SchoolRossiter SchoolCentral School
+6 more
↓
Middle
C R Anderson Middle SchlHelena Middle School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyLewis and Clark County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHelena Elem →
Phone: (406)324-1530
NCES ID: 300000500425
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Helena seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Helena Elem
Mid
C R Anderson Middle Schl
1,067 students · 06–08
● 47 opp
Mid
Helena Middle School
691 students · 06–08
● 47 opp
Elem
Jim Darcy School
470 students · PK–05
● 49 opp
Elem
Four Georgians School
455 students · PK–05
● 47 opp
Elem
Rossiter School
391 students · PK–05
● 49 opp
Elem
Central School
319 students · PK–05
● 47 opp
Elem
Warren School
304 students · PK–05
● 49 opp
Elem
Bryant School
291 students · PK–05
● 47 opp
District School Rankings
Location
2320 5th Avenue, Helena, MT 59601
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.