Lewis and Clark County Schools & Education
Lewis and Clark County, Montana
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
38/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
85.8%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
85.8%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 83.7%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,428
National avg $13,239
State avg $9,334
School Score
38/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#48
of 56 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Lewis and Clark County
Measured School Summary
Lewis and Clark County faces educational challenges with a school score of 38/100 and a graduation rate of 85.8%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $7,428 per pupil, Lewis and Clark County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 30% below the Montana average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 20% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Lewis and Clark County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
29 public schools and 9 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
38/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #48 of 56 Montana counties with school score data.
Completion
85.8%
2.1 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,428
$1,906 below the state average
School coverage
29
9 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Lewis and Clark County has 29 public schools across 9 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Lewis and Clark County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Review-carefully county
Lewis and Clark County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#48
of 56 Montana counties with school score data. The county score is 17 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Helena Elem
Elementary and middle visible
5,225 students
13 listed schools in this county slice.
Helena H S
High school only in this slice
2,514 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
East Helena K-12
Elementary to high school visible
1,952 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
Lincoln K-12 Schools
Elementary to high school visible
149 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Helena Elem is the largest listed district slice, with 13 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Lewis and Clark County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Lewis and Clark County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Lewis and Clark County, Montana
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Large Network of Capital City Schools
Lewis and Clark County operates 29 public schools across nine districts to serve 10,013 students. The infrastructure includes 19 elementary, five middle, and five high schools.
Strong Graduation Rates Outpace State Averages
The county's 85.8% graduation rate exceeds the state average of 83.7%, though it trails the national benchmark of 87.0%. Per-pupil expenditure sits at $7,428, which is lower than the Montana average of $9,334.
Helena Elementary Leads the Region
Helena Elementary is the largest district, managing 13 schools and 5,225 students. Capital High School is the county's largest individual facility, enrolling 1,427 students.
A Mix of Town and Rural Learning
The county features 18 schools in town locales and 11 in rural settings, with an average school size of 345 students. Enrollment ranges from over 1,400 at Capital High to much smaller rural cohorts.
School Overview
Total Schools
29
in Lewis and Clark County
Reported Enrollment
10,013
29 schools reporting
School Districts
9
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
9 School Districts in Lewis and Clark County
Helena Elem
GuideHelena H S
East Helena K-12
Lincoln K-12 Schools
Augusta Elem
Trinity Elem
Augusta H S
Auchard Creek Elem
Wolf Creek Elem
29 Public Schools in Lewis and Clark County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 29 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital High School | Profile | Helena H S | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 1,427 |
| Helena High School | Profile | Helena H S | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 1,087 |
| C R Anderson Middle Schl | Profile | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 1,067 |
| Helena Middle School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 691 |
| East Helena High School | Record | East Helena K-12 | East Helena, 59635Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 580 |
| East Valley Middle School | Record | East Helena K-12 | East Helena, 59635Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 482 |
| Jim Darcy School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 470 |
| Four Georgians School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 455 |
| Radley Elementary School | Record | East Helena K-12 | East Helena, 59635Town: Remote | 3–5 | Primary | 440 |
| Rossiter School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 391 |
| Central School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 319 |
| Warren School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 304 |
| Bryant School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 291 |
| Smith School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 290 |
| Prickly Pear Elem | Record | East Helena K-12 | East Helena, 59635Town: Remote | 1–2 | Primary | 272 |
| Broadwater School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 254 |
| Jefferson School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 253 |
| Kessler Elementary School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 238 |
| Hawthorne School | Record | Helena Elem | Helena, 59601Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 202 |
| Eastgate School | Record | East Helena K-12 | East Helena, 59635Town: Remote | PK–KG | Primary | 178 |
Capital High School
Helena H S
Helena, 59601 / Town: Remote
Helena High School
Helena H S
Helena, 59601 / Town: Remote
C R Anderson Middle Schl
Helena Elem
Helena, 59601 / Town: Remote
East Valley Middle School
East Helena K-12
East Helena, 59635 / Town: Remote
Radley Elementary School
East Helena K-12
East Helena, 59635 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,428
State avg $9,334
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Lewis and Clark County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Montana counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Montana?
How should I read the school score in Lewis and Clark County?
What is the graduation rate in Lewis and Clark County?
How much does Lewis and Clark County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Lewis and Clark County, Montana — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
Lewis and Clark County operates 29 public schools across nine districts to serve 10,013 students. The infrastructure includes 19 elementary, five middle, and five high schools.
How do schools in Lewis and Clark County perform academically?
The county's 85.8% graduation rate exceeds the state average of 83.7%, though it trails the national benchmark of 87.0%. Per-pupil expenditure sits at $7,428, which is lower than the Montana average of $9,334.
What are the major school districts in Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
Helena Elementary is the largest district, managing 13 schools and 5,225 students. Capital High School is the county's largest individual facility, enrolling 1,427 students.
What is the school experience like in Lewis and Clark County?
The county features 18 schools in town locales and 11 in rural settings, with an average school size of 345 students. Enrollment ranges from over 1,400 at Capital High to much smaller rural cohorts.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.