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Public high school · Helena H S · Helena, Montana

Capital High School

Capital High School rates 7.0, right at the middle of Helena H S's high schools, whose rated median is 6.9.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
7.0this school

7.0 on a one-to-ten scale; the Helena H S median is 6.9.

#218 of 605 schools in Montana · Helena H S: 2 high schools rated, median 6.9

The brief

A Helena H S high school where students score 10 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 218 of 605 schools in Montana and 1 of 2 in Helena H S.

Capital High School is listed in Helena H S, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math36%290 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Reading43%290 students tested · state average not published · 2022 EdFacts
Proficiency has fallen 7 points since 2019, to 40% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).2022 EdFacts; 22 test records from MT state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
8.4
25% of the rating
Academics
5.8
25% of the rating
College Readiness
7.9
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.2
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2024

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 64% (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 59601; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Capital High School and the 6 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$70,502
Median home value
$355,000
Median rent
$1,023/mo
College educated
50.9%
Homeownership
56.8%
Poverty rate
9.1%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 59601; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
25
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
30
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
3,491/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Helena. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Helena), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
3 AP courses
23% participation · state average 2 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
18 sports
9 boys' · 9 girls' · 38 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
16.4%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Capital High Schoolthis school
    7.0
  2. 6.8Compare →
One grade-compatible school using the same rating model sits within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Capital High School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Capital High School serve?

Capital High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Capital High School?

Capital High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,367 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Capital High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Capital High School is 16.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Capital High School rank in MT?

Capital High School ranks #218 of 605 schools in MT.

What is Capital High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Capital High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Capital High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Capital High School has 44% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 64% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Capital High School a charter school?

No, Capital High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Capital High School a Title I school?

No, Capital High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Capital High School?

16.4% of students at Capital High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,367
Student-teacher ratio
16.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
85
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Small City
County
Lewis and Clark County
4-year graduation
88.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#1 of 2
Schools in district
2
District spending per student
$13,044
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
5.9%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 59601)
31,822
Area average commute
13.9 min
Area median age
41.1

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Montana Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.