Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Jim Darcy School

Q: Is Jim Darcy School a good school?

Jim Darcy School ranks 119 th of 401 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

119^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 401 Montana Elementary Schools

Better than 70% of Montana elementary schools

Summary

Jim Darcy School is an elementary school in Helena, Montana, serving 473 students in grades PK-5. As part of the Helena Elementary School District, which is ranked 179 out of 387 districts in the state, Jim Darcy School has shown consistent improvement in its academic performance, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

In the 2024-2025 school year, Jim Darcy School outperformed the district and state averages in the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. However, the school has a relatively high student-teacher ratio of 18.8, compared to nearby schools ranging from 12.4 to 17.8 students per teacher. Additionally, Jim Darcy School has a lower free and reduced lunch rate of 19.24%, suggesting a more affluent student population compared to nearby schools, which range from 19.7% to 82.99%.

While Jim Darcy School's academic performance is strong, there is still room for improvement, particularly in Mathematics, where the school's proficiency rate is lower than the state average. The school's high student-teacher ratio may also be a factor to consider, as it could impact the level of individualized attention and support provided to students. Overall, Jim Darcy School is a well-performing elementary school within the Helena Elementary School District, with consistently improving academic outcomes and a relatively low free and reduced lunch rate compared to nearby schools.

473

Students ?

18.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,824

Per pupil spending ?

19.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

990 Lincoln Road West
Helena, MT 59602

(406) 324-1410

District: Helena Elementary

Students who attend Jim Darcy School usually attend:

Middle:	C R Anderson Middle School
High:	Capital High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.2%

Hispanic:

6.6%

Two or more races:

1.5%

See top rated Montana elementary schools

Compare Jim Darcy School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 43rd percentile in 2015 → 70th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Montana average (49% vs 40% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 27 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Montana median (70th percentile)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school49%

District avg45%

Montana avg40%

119^th of 401

Montana public elementary schools ?

Top 30%▲ up 27 pts since 2015

From bottom 43% (2015) to top 30% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Montana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 11Elementary Schools in the Helena Elementary

179^th of 387Helena Elementary among Montana districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Montana percentile	Rating
2025	67.2	119 of 401	70.3%	★★★★☆
2024	67.8	79 of 212	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.7	171 of 332	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	55.0	177 of 329	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.0	233 of 356	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	44.7	69 of 123	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	44.6	67 of 116	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	43.6	65 of 109	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	34.7	134 of 191	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2015	46.1	163 of 287	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2013	60.1	102 of 246	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	49.7	151 of 244	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	40.6	176 of 247	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	37.3	187 of 241	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	35.8	152 of 190	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	42.5	140 of 194	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	27.4	206 of 230	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	61.1	97 of 234	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2005	75.3	48 of 218	78.0%	★★★★☆
2004	48.7	122 of 217	43.8%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Montana (2024-2025) ?

Science58%+20 vs state

English Language Arts53%+10 vs state

Mathematics43%+6 vs state

4.0

1 rating

5★0

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Jim Darcy School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Jim Darcy School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MAST English Language Arts (2025)	MAST Mathematics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAST English Language Arts All Grades	MAST Mathematics All Grades	Total
Jim Darcy School	Public	PK, KG-5	990 Lincoln Road West	Helena	59602	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1410	473	25	18.8	19.2%	422 (89.2%)	4 (0.8%)	31 (6.6%)	3 (0.6%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.5%)	67.2	119^th of 401 public elementary schools	70.3%		67.8	79^th of 212 public elementary schools	62.7%	40	52.7	42.9	$11,824
Rossiter School	Public	PK, KG-5	1497 Sierra Road East	Helena	59602	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1500	369	21	17.4	36.3%	309 (83.7%)	8 (2.2%)	40 (10.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)	57.7	169^th of 401 public elementary schools	57.9%		62.8	91^st of 212 public elementary schools	57.1%	78	55.9	28.9	$13,609
Warren School	Public	PK, KG-5	2690 Old York Road	Helena	59602	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1600	276	18	15.5	58.3%	243 (88.0%)	4 (1.4%)	15 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.0%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	54.4	188^th of 401 public elementary schools	53.1%		76.1	54^th of 212 public elementary schools	74.5%	134	43.4	40.6	$12,543
Four Georgians School	Public	PK, KG-5	555 Custer Avenue	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1300	482	29	16.8	30.9%	405 (84.0%)	5 (1.0%)	37 (7.7%)	6 (1.2%)	12 (2.5%)	2 (0.4%)	15 (3.1%)	68.2	114^th of 401 public elementary schools	71.6%		71.9	66^th of 212 public elementary schools	68.9%	48	60.9	37.2	$12,054
Central School	Public	PK, KG-5	1325 Poplar	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1230	242	17	13.9	60.3%	190 (78.5%)	2 (0.8%)	25 (10.3%)	4 (1.7%)	15 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.5%)	56.5	174^th of 401 public elementary schools	56.6%		81.8	35^th of 212 public elementary schools	83.5%	139	46.9	37.9	$16,565
Helena Montessori Charter School	Public	K-5	1325 Poplar Street	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(406) 324-2000	198	11	17.8	19.7%	160 (80.8%)	5 (2.5%)	20 (10.1%)	2 (1.0%)	5 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	65.7	126^th of 401 public elementary schools	68.6%					(n/a)	58.9	35.5
Mount Ascension Learning Ac Elementary	Public, Virtual	K-5	1325 Poplar Street	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(406) 324-2000	0	1	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Broadwater School	Public	PK, KG-5	900 Hollins	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1130	207	17	12.4	73.4%	164 (79.2%)	2 (1.0%)	19 (9.2%)	2 (1.0%)	13 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.4%)	31.7	294^th of 401 public elementary schools	26.7%		55.2	109^th of 212 public elementary schools	48.6%	185	31.3	22.6	$13,945
Kessler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2420 Choteau Street	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1700	235	18	13.1	34.0%	201 (85.5%)	5 (2.1%)	19 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	46	221^st of 401 public elementary schools	44.9%		50.4	124^th of 212 public elementary schools	41.5%	97	42.6	31.5	$12,541
Bryant School	Public	PK, KG-5	1529 Boulder	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1200	288	20	14.0	83.0%	204 (70.8%)	4 (1.4%)	48 (16.7%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.5%)	26.5	319^th of 401 public elementary schools	20.4%		27.9	168^th of 212 public elementary schools	20.8%	151	26.1	22.7	$13,947

Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Darcy School

Is Jim Darcy School a good school?

Jim Darcy School ranks 119^th of 401 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Jim Darcy School attend?

Students who attend Jim Darcy School usually go on to attend:

Middle : C R Anderson Middle School
High : Capital High School

What district is Jim Darcy School in?

Helena Elementary

How many students attend Jim Darcy School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 473 students attended Jim Darcy School.

What is the racial makeup of Jim Darcy School?

Students at Jim Darcy School are 89% White, 7% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

Rate Jim Darcy School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MTMontana Elementary School Rankings

MTMontana District Rankings

Schools in Helena, MT

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Jim Darcy School!

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.