The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in English language arts. The lowest is 63% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Helke Elementary School
Helke Elementary School in Vandalia serves kindergarten through third grade as part of a grade-based reconfiguration that took hold in the 2024-25 school year. The school enrolls a mixed-income student body; roughly two-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student population is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Black students, multiracial students, and Hispanic students, and a very small number of Asian students. The school's racial makeup reflects Vandalia's broader character as a suburban community near Dayton.
On third-grade state testing in 2023-24, about three-quarters of Helke students met proficiency in English language arts. Math proficiency among third graders on the 2022-23 assessment was lower, at closer to two-thirds. These results place Helke above the midpoint when compared to elementary and other schools tested across Montgomery County school districts. Reading performance is notably stronger than math, a pattern worth understanding if your child is heading into the school. No data on special education enrollment or English learner population was available.
The reconfiguration is a material fact for any family considering Helke. Before 2024-25, the district's three main elementary schools each served a full K-5 span. Now all kindergarten and preschool classes in the district live at Helke; first and second graders attend Demmitt; and third through fifth graders go to Smith. This means Helke serves only the youngest learners. An eight-classroom modular building was added to Smith to accommodate the shift. The district implemented all-day kindergarten at the same time, moving from a half-day model. If you have a kindergartener heading to Helke or are planning multiple children through elementary years, you should understand that your child will change schools at the end of kindergarten.
The 2024-25 reconfiguration was born from two failed tax levies in 2023. Voters rejected new operating money in May and November of that year. The district responded with broad budget cuts including staff reductions and the discontinuation of its sign language program. Those cuts are now several years in, so the baseline staffing and program picture that exists now reflects that austerity decision. The district's last successful levy was renewed in March 2020 and runs through 2030, securing core funding for art, music, physical education, and busing. A recent revenue-sharing settlement with the City of Vandalia has improved the district's five-year forecast and brought steady payments into the operating budget, but the district remains dependent on existing tax authority and has no new funds built in.
Vandalia itself is a suburban Dayton city with strong employment tied to Dayton International Airport, logistics, and regional carriers like PSA Airlines. It has a modest historic downtown along South Dixie Drive near Seger Park where a library branch and small businesses cluster. Residential development is active, with multiple new subdivisions in the planning and construction phases that could reshape the community's composition over the next few years. The city is car-oriented and organized around interstate access rather than walkability, though parks including Helke Park (the community namesake) and the Vandalia Recreation Center with its pool, fitness facilities, and indoor climbing wall serve as civic anchors.
Housing in the Vandalia zip code sits just slightly below the Ohio state median home value and is notably affordable compared to the national benchmark. Rents are modest. If you are considering relocation to support school choice or family needs, the area offers mid-range housing costs and steady residential interest, but you should understand this is suburban Ohio with limited public transit and a daily rhythm built around driving.
Helke is the entry point into Vandalia-Butler schools and receives all the district's youngest learners at once. If you are looking for a small-school feel in early grades or want a school where kindergarten and preschool share a single building, that concentration is a defining feature here. The recent reorganization is a known shift in district operations; speaking directly with the school about the transition experience and its steady-state shape now is a good next step.
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