Helena Public Schools states that its mission is to challenge and empower each student to become a competent, productive, responsible, caring citizen. Nearly half of the teachers have a master's degree or beyond, while 42 percent have one to three years of education beyond a bachelor's degree. Students consistently score above average in national standardized testing in all academic areas.
The Helena school district enjoys one of the lowest teacher-to-pupil ratios in the state. The curriculum includes many accelerated and advanced placement courses. Nearly 60 percent of the district's graduating seniors attend four-year colleges or universities, earning over $3 million annually in scholarships. Another 25 percent of high school graduates move on to trade school, two-year colleges or the military.
The following is a summary of data regarding the Helena public school system as of the 2003–2004 school year.
Total enrollment: 8,090
Number of facilities
elementary schools: 11
junior high/middle schools: 2
senior high schools: 2
other: 1
Student/teacher ratio: 15:1
Teacher salaries
Average: $45,789
Funding per pupil: Not available
Public Schools Information: Helena Public Schools, 55 South Rodney, Helena, MT 59601; telephone (406)324-2000; fax (406)324-2022
Helena's Carroll College, established in 1909, is a Catholic liberal arts college with an enrollment of about 1,500. Students enjoy small classes and easy access to faculty members, and half of the students go on to graduate school. In 2005 U.S. News & World Report ranked Carroll among the Western region's best colleges for the 11th year in a row. Carroll College offers bachelor of arts degrees in a variety of fields, as well as eight pre-professional programs and a variety of research and internship opportunities in the capital city.
Helena College of Technology is a two-year college that is part of the University of Montana. More than 700 students receive technical education in accounting, computer science, aviation, construction, nursing, machine tooling, and other fields. The college also offers associate of science and arts degrees in general studies. Montana University also provides graduate programs and continuing education classes in Helena.
The Lewis & Clark County Library's main facility is in downtown Helena and the system has three branches in nearby towns. The library contains 115,000 items, including books, periodicals, vertical files, and audio-visual tapes. Built in 1976, the library serves 50,000 patrons annually.
The Research Center of the Montana Historical Society, also in Helena, contains more than 40,000 books and pamphlets relating to Montana, 2,000 bound volumes of Montana newspapers, more than 8,000 maps, as well as initial township plots, topographical maps, music scores, and other items. Its special collections focus on the Lewis & Clark expedition, fur trading, and General Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn. It also has an extensive photograph collection featuring approximately 400,000 images.
The Montana State Library is the primary facility for state government as well as for the blind, physically handicapped, and learning disabled. Its focus is on Montana's natural resources. Every Montanan is entitled to borrow from the State Library, although local libraries often borrow titles on behalf of their patrons.
Other local libraries include the college libraries of Carroll College and the Helena College of Technology, and those of St. Peter's Community and Shodair hospitals, as well as libraries of the Montana state legislature, the Montana Department of Commerce, the Montana Natural Heritage Program, the Montana Department of Special Resources, the State Law Library, and the U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Division Library.
Research institutions include the Montana Science Institute, which explores natural history and ecology of the Missouri River and conservation of native species, and the Nature Conservancy-Montana Chapter, which identifies rare plants and animals and works to protect rare species.
Public Library Information: Lewis & Clark County Library, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601; telephone (406)447-1690; fax (406)447-1687