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Helena High School

Q: Is Helena High School a good school?

Helena High School ranks 20 th of 182 Montana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

20^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 182 Montana High Schools

Better than 89% of Montana high schools

Summary

Helena High School is a public high school serving 979 students in grades 9-12 in Helena, Montana. The school is part of the Helena High School District, which is ranked 188 out of 387 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Helena High School is a strong-performing school, consistently ranking among the top 20 high schools in Montana and receiving a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's students outperform the state average on the ACT and Montana State Tests in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. Additionally, Helena High School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 13.4 to 15.5 students per teacher, suggesting a more personalized learning environment. However, the school has seen a slight decline in proficiency rates on the Montana State Tests over the past few years, particularly in Mathematics and Science, which may be an area of focus for the school.

When compared to nearby schools, Capital High School and the virtual schools in the district, Helena High School generally outperforms them in academic metrics. However, East Helena High School, which is in a different district, has shown comparable academic performance in some areas. Additionally, the school has seen an increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 19.96% in 2023-2024 to 31.36% in 2024-2025, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students that may require additional support and resources.

979

Students ?

15.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,957

Per pupil spending ?

31.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1300 Billings Avenue
Helena, MT 59601

(406) 324-2200

District: Helena High School

Feeder schools for Helena High School:

Elementary:	Bryant School
	Central School
	Eastgate School
	Jefferson School
	More...
	Prickly Pear Elementary
	Radley Elementary School
	Smith School
	Warren School
Middle:	East Valley Middle School
	Helena Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.6%

Hispanic:

6.2%

Two or more races:

5.2%

See top rated Montana high schools

Compare Helena High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 49th percentile in 2013 → 89th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Montana average (48% vs 39% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 11% of Montana high schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 40 percentile points since 2013

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school48%

District avg45%

Montana avg39%

20^th of 182

Montana public high schools ?

Top 11%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

From top 14% (2016) to top 11% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Montana High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2High Schools in the Helena High School

188^th of 387Helena High School 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	80.4	20 of 182	89.0%	★★★★☆
2024	65.1	22 of 122	82.0%	★★★★☆
2023	59.1	34 of 124	72.6%	★★★★☆
2022	43.8	29 of 114	74.6%	★★★★☆
2021	70.5	19 of 138	86.2%	★★★★☆
2019	76.7	18 of 119	84.9%	★★★★☆
2018	76.0	19 of 119	84.0%	★★★★☆
2017	72.1	21 of 111	81.1%	★★★★☆
2016	80.4	16 of 113	85.8%	★★★★☆
2013	55.5	65 of 128	49.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	42.6	91 of 129	29.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	42.2	87 of 122	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	55.2	72 of 135	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	53.4	70 of 135	48.1%	★★★☆☆
2008	56.9	68 of 139	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	47.2	92 of 136	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2006	55.2	73 of 138	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2005	63.0	58 of 142	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2004	63.7	58 of 137	57.7%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Montana (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts61%+6 vs state

Mathematics46%+15 vs state

Science38%+8 vs state

★

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Schools Near Helena High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ACT with Writing English Language Arts (2025)	ACT with Writing Mathematics (2025)	ACT with Writing Science (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	ACT with Writing English Language Arts 11th Grade	ACT with Writing Mathematics 11th Grade	ACT with Writing Science 11th Grade	Total
Helena High School	Public	9-12	1300 Billings Avenue	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena High School	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-2200	979	63	15.5	31.4%	818 (83.6%)	15 (1.5%)	61 (6.2%)	12 (1.2%)	22 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (5.2%)	80.4	20^th of 182 public high schools	89.0%		65.1	22^nd of 122 public high schools	82.0%	2	61.1	45.8	38.4	$13,957
Mount Ascension Learning Ac High School	Public, Virtual	9-12	1325 Poplar Street	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena High School	(n/a)	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(406) 324-2000	43	1	29.6	39.5%	35 (81.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.0%)	29.7	140^th of 182 public high schools	23.1%					(n/a)	50.0	0.0	16.7
Helena P.A.L.	Public	9-12	1325 Poplar Street	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena High School	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(406) 324-2000	58	7	8.1	55.2%	46 (79.3%)	1 (1.7%)	3 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.4%)	1 (1.7%)	5 (8.6%)	22.8	151^st of 182 public high schools	17.0%					(n/a)	25.9	6.9	20.7
Capital High School	Public	9-12	100 Valley Drive	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena High School	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-2500	1,293	79	16.2	27.7%	1,130 (87.4%)	13 (1.0%)	70 (5.4%)	15 (1.2%)	18 (1.4%)	2 (0.2%)	45 (3.5%)	76.7	26^th of 182 public high schools	85.7%		65.8	19^th of 122 public high schools	84.4%	7	60.8	39.6	37.3	$12,877
227 Academy- High School	Public	9-12	2760 Valley Dr	East Helena	59635	Lewis and Clark County	East Helena K-12	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(406) 227-7700	59	5	12.9	61.0%	50 (84.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (10.2%)	21.2	152^nd of 182 public high schools	16.5%					(n/a)	33.3	11.1	11.1
East Helena High School	Public	9-12	2760 Valley Drive	East Helena	59635	Lewis and Clark County	East Helena K-12	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 227-7700	563	26	21.9	33.9%	476 (84.5%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (7.3%)	3 (0.5%)	11 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (5.3%)	63.5	66^th of 182 public high schools	63.7%		43.2	64^th of 122 public high schools	47.5%	2	59.4	29.6	29.6	$10,352

Frequently Asked Questions about Helena High School

What schools feed into Helena High School?

Helena High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Bryant School
Elementary : Central School
Elementary : Eastgate School
Elementary : Jefferson School
Elementary : Prickly Pear Elementary
Elementary : Radley Elementary School
Elementary : Smith School
Elementary : Warren School
Middle : East Valley Middle School
Middle : Helena Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Helena High School?

Students at Helena High School are 84% White, 6% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 2% African American, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Helena High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 979 students attended Helena High School.

Is Helena High School a good school?

Helena High School ranks 20^th of 182 Montana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Helena High School in?

Helena High School

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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.