The brief
An East Helena K-12 elementary school serving grades 1st – 2nd.
It ranks 485 of 605 schools in Montana and 3 of 5 in East Helena K-12.
Prickly Pear Elem is listed in East Helena K-12, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 3 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.
- Estimated academic score. This school does not have standardized test data. Based on MT statewide data. Learn more
- Based on limited data: 40% component coverage.
- Component weights adjusted due to data availability.
Partial Profile · 2/3 metrics
- 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.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource 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 59635; this does not measure the attendance area.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments vintage unavailable; directory SY 2023–24
The neighborhood
Where it sits, and what the area looks like.The area
- Median income
- $73,664
- Median home value
- $356,200
- Median rent
- $998/mo
- College educated
- 36.7%
- Homeownership
- 83.7%
- Poverty rate
- 11.1%
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 59635; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Getting around
- Walk Score
- 24
- Car-Dependent
- Bike Score
- 33
- Somewhat Bikeable
- City reported crime
- 1,552/100K
- Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for East Helena. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.
Walk, transit and bike scores by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (East 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.Who goes here
- Free or reduced lunch
- 44.6%
- 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.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 Prickly Pear Elem serve?
Prickly Pear Elem serves students in grades 1st through 2nd.
How many students attend Prickly Pear Elem?
Prickly Pear Elem has an enrollment of approximately 285 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prickly Pear Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Prickly Pear Elem is 16.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Prickly Pear Elem rank in MT?
Prickly Pear Elem ranks #485 of 605 schools in MT.
What is Prickly Pear Elem's MySchoolScout rating?
Prickly Pear Elem has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.9 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.
Is Prickly Pear Elem a charter school?
No, Prickly Pear Elem is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Prickly Pear Elem a Title I school?
No, Prickly Pear Elem is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Prickly Pear Elem?
44.6% of students at Prickly Pear Elem 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
- 1st – 2nd
- Enrollment
- 285
- Student-teacher ratio
- 16.8:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 17
- Type
- Regular
- Title I
- No
- Setting
- Fringe Rural
- County
- Lewis and Clark County
- Phone
- (406) 227-7700
- Rank in district
- #3 of 5
- Schools in district
- 5
- District spending per student
- $10,003
- NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 4.4%
- Census SAIPE · 2024
- Area population (ZIP 59635)
- 8,382
- Area median age
- 42.1
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).
Sources and official links
Keep exploring
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.