The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in Science. The lowest is 47% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Smith School
Smith School is an elementary school in Helena, Montana, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Helena Elem district, which covers the city’s elementary-age population. The school is located on Fifth Avenue in Helena, a neighborhood setting within the state capital.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and small shares of American Indian, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that is moderate for an elementary school in this region. The school enrolls a few hundred students, a size that is typical for a neighborhood elementary school in a city of Helena’s scale. The grade distribution is fairly even from kindergarten through fifth grade, with a small pre-kindergarten program.
On state assessments, Smith School’s results place it in the top quartile among elementary schools in Lewis and Clark County when looking at overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. In English language arts, a majority of students scored proficient or above. In math, just under half of students reached that bar. In science, a solid majority of tested students scored proficient or above. These are solid results for a public elementary school in Montana, and they suggest that the school is performing well relative to its county peers.
The school serves a student population that is roughly two-thirds white, with a Hispanic enrollment of about a quarter and small shares of American Indian, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source materials, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
Smith School is a neighborhood elementary school in Helena, Montana’s state capital. Helena itself is a stable, slow-growing city with an economy anchored by state government, education, and healthcare. The city’s downtown features a historic pedestrian mall along Last Chance Gulch, and the surrounding residential neighborhoods give the school a community-anchored feel. Housing in the area is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks, and the local rental market is similarly positioned. The school’s location on Fifth Avenue places it within a residential part of the city, not on a remote campus.
The school serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing was available in the source materials. A parent may want to ask the school directly about class sizes, special education services, and English learner supports, as those details were not present in the public data reviewed.
For a family looking at elementary options in Helena, Smith School offers a neighborhood setting with academic results that are above the county median. The student body is diverse in its Hispanic representation, and the school’s moderate share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch suggests a mix of economic backgrounds. The school’s size is manageable, and its location within the city means it is part of Helena’s broader community fabric rather than a standalone campus.
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