Kessler Elementary School

Q: Is Kessler Elementary School a good school?

Kessler Elementary School ranks 216 th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Kessler Elementary School is a public elementary school in Helena, Montana, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 238 students. The school is part of the Helena Elementary District, which is ranked 115 out of 300 districts in Montana and is rated 3 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Kessler Elementary has a higher percentage of Hispanic and Native American students compared to nearby schools like Warren School, Smith School, and Four Georgians School. However, Kessler consistently underperforms these schools and the Helena Elementary District as a whole in standardized test scores, with proficiency rates of only 27.59% in Math, 36.21% in Reading, and 40.54% in Science. Kessler's statewide ranking has also declined over the years, from 77th out of 123 Montana elementary schools in 2018-2019 to 216th out of 332 in 2022-2023, and it is currently rated 2 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, Kessler Elementary's academic performance is concerning and warrants further investigation. The school's diversity could present both challenges and opportunities, and the declining statewide ranking suggests that Kessler is not keeping pace with the performance of other elementary schools in the state. Compared to nearby schools, Kessler is clearly underperforming, and parents may want to consider other options within the Helena Elementary District that are better meeting the academic needs of their children.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

2420 Choteau Street
Helena, MT 59601

(406) 324-1700

District: Helena Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
216^th of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,004

Students who attend Kessler Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	C R Anderson Middle School
High:	Capital High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 248

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.9%

Hispanic:

10.1%

American Indian:

3.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 21%

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Compare Kessler Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Kessler Elementary School ranks worse than 65.1% of elementary schools in Montana. It also ranks 10^th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Helena Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.37. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (83.9%), Hispanic (10.1%), American Indian (3.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 21% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Kessler Elementary School is 14.3, which is the 3^rd best among 11 elementary schools in the Helena Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Kessler Elementary School employs 17.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kessler Elementary School is $13,004. 8 elementary schools in the Helena Elementary School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Kessler Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Helena Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Helena Elementary 115^th of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Kessler Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	71.59	54^th	217	75.1%
2005	84.70	25^th	218	88.5%
2006	77.11	23^rd	234	90.2%
2007	68.66	61^st	230	73.5%
2008	47.32	124^th	194	36.1%
2009	66.88	59^th	190	68.9%
2010	61.52	92^nd	241	61.8%
2011	48.61	156^th	247	36.8%
2012	49.94	150^th	244	38.5%
2013	55.02	130^th	246	47.2%
2015	64.40	114^th	287	60.3%
2016	33.58	138^th	191	27.7%
2017	48.00	62^nd	109	43.1%
2018	49.07	62^nd	116	46.6%
2019	39.46	77^th	123	37.4%
2021	54.13	192^nd	356	46.1%
2022	55.61	171^st	329	48.0%
2023	42.37	216^th	332	34.9%

See the entire list of Montana Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Montana Office of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Montana Office of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Kessler Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2001	238	0	3	0	6	n/a	n/a	247
2002	223	0	2	0	7	n/a	n/a	232
2003	223	0	2	0	7	n/a	n/a	232
2004	199	1	1	1	10	n/a	n/a	212
2005	200	1	5	2	10	n/a	n/a	218
2006	201	1	0	1	8	n/a	n/a	211
2007	205	1	1	0	6	n/a	n/a	213
2008	201	4	2	1	5	n/a	n/a	213
2009	217	4	0	3	4	n/a	n/a	228
2010	222	4	0	2	4	n/a	n/a	232
2011	245	3	0	3	6	1	0	258
2012	251	1	0	4	3	0	1	260
2013	228	1	1	2	4	0	2	238
2014	244	0	1	2	3	0	4	254
2015	255	0	3	0	7	0	4	269
2016	244	0	3	3	11	0	6	267
2017	238	0	5	4	11	0	5	263
2018	236	2	2	9	8	0	10	267
2019	242	1	2	8	11	0	7	271
2020	219	1	1	20	12	0	4	257
2021	169	3	1	28	9	0	2	212
2022	185	3	1	30	7	0	4	230
2023	197	4	0	28	7	0	2	238
2024	208	4	0	25	8	0	3	248

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Kessler Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	247	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	232	10.4	22.3	28
2003	232	10.4	22.3	28
2004	212	13.0	16.3	24.5
2005	218	13.1	16.6	27.5
2006	211	13.1	16.1	28.4
2007	213	12.3	17.3	23.5
2008	213	13.0	16.4	23.9
2009	228	14.0	16.3	24.1
2010	232	13.2	17.5	16.4
2011	258	14.2	18.1	24.4
2012	260	14.0	18.4	22.7
2013	238	13.7	17.3	29
2014	254	13.6	18.6	33.5
2015	269	15.0	17.9	31.6
2016	267	15.0	17.8	33
2017	263	15.1	17.3	36.9
2018	267	17.0	15.6	32.2
2019	271	17.4	15.5	34.3
2020	257	19.5	13.1	23
2021	212	18.4	11.4	n/a
2022	230	19.5	11.7	n/a
2023	238	19.0	12.5	n/a
2024	248	17.3	14.3	21

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Kessler Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	247	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	232	10.4	22.3	28
2003	232	10.4	22.3	28
2004	212	13.0	16.3	24.5
2005	218	13.1	16.6	27.5
2006	211	13.1	16.1	28.4
2007	213	12.3	17.3	23.5
2008	213	13.0	16.4	23.9
2009	228	14.0	16.3	24.1
2010	232	13.2	17.5	16.4
2011	258	14.2	18.1	24.4
2012	260	14.0	18.4	22.7
2013	238	13.7	17.3	29
2014	254	13.6	18.6	33.5
2015	269	15.0	17.9	31.6
2016	267	15.0	17.8	33
2017	263	15.1	17.3	36.9
2018	267	17.0	15.6	32.2
2019	271	17.4	15.5	34.3
2020	257	19.5	13.1	23
2021	212	18.4	11.4	n/a
2022	230	19.5	11.7	n/a
2023	238	19.0	12.5	n/a
2024	248	17.3	14.3	21

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Kessler Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,499
2021	$13,399
2022	$13,129
2023	$13,004

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kessler Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 77^th of 123 Elementary schools	Ranks 216^th of 332 Elementary schools	2.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	271	238	12.2%
African American	1	4	300%
American Indian	11	7	36.4%
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	8	28	250%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	242	197	18.6%
Two or More Races	7	2	71.4%

Schools Near Kessler Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Montana State Tests Mathematics (2023)	Montana State Tests Reading (2023)	Montana State Tests Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Montana State Tests Mathematics All Grades	Montana State Tests Reading All Grades	Montana State Tests Science All Grades	Total
Kessler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2420 Choteau Street	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1700	248	17	14.3	21.0%	208 (83.9%)	4 (1.6%)	25 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	42.4	216^th of 332 public elementary schools	34.9%		55.6	171^st of 329 public elementary schools	48.0%	45	27.6	36.2	40.5	$13,004
Broadwater School	Public	PK, KG-5	900 Hollins	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1130	247	17	14.8	44.5%	203 (82.2%)	4 (1.6%)	21 (8.5%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.8%)	58.2	152^nd of 332 public elementary schools	54.2%		34.7	253^rd of 329 public elementary schools	23.1%	101	33.9	45.5	46.9	$14,023
Hawthorne School	Public	PK, KG-5	430 Madison Avenue	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1370	210	14	15.0	12.9%	174 (82.9%)	1 (0.5%)	16 (7.6%)	1 (0.5%)	8 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.8%)	65.8	120^th of 332 public elementary schools	63.9%		70.4	116^th of 329 public elementary schools	64.7%	4	49.5	52.7	35.7	$13,655
Four Georgians School	Public	PK, KG-5	555 Custer Avenue	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1300	459	27	17.0	18.3%	389 (84.7%)	4 (0.9%)	34 (7.4%)	6 (1.3%)	11 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.1%)	81.8	56^th of 332 public elementary schools	83.1%		76.1	88^th of 329 public elementary schools	73.3%	32	47.7	56.7	60.3	$12,106
Central School	Public	PK, KG-5	1325 Poplar	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1230	284	21	13.3	41.5%	237 (83.5%)	4 (1.4%)	20 (7.0%)	1 (0.4%)	17 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.8%)	57.9	154^th of 332 public elementary schools	53.6%		78.8	79^th of 329 public elementary schools	76.0%	75	38.7	49.7	37.3	$15,562
Jefferson School	Public	PK, KG-5	1023 Broadway	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-2060	247	14	17.5	11.3%	214 (86.6%)	1 (0.4%)	19 (7.7%)	2 (0.8%)	5 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	97.3	5^th of 332 public elementary schools	98.5%		98.2	6^th of 329 public elementary schools	98.2%	1	67.4	77.0	72.1	$13,437
Bryant School	Public	PK, KG-5	1529 Boulder	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1200	336	24	14.1	58.6%	236 (70.2%)	1 (0.3%)	59 (17.6%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.9%)	27.9	260^th of 332 public elementary schools	21.7%		45.5	215^th of 329 public elementary schools	34.7%	45	25.9	29.5	28.6	$13,787
Smith School	Public	PK, KG-5	2320 5th Avenue	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1530	292	20	14.7	24.0%	203 (69.5%)	5 (1.7%)	67 (22.9%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	68.7	105^th of 332 public elementary schools	68.4%		87.3	46^th of 329 public elementary schools	86.0%	59	44.9	53.6	42.1	$14,115
Rossiter School	Public	PK, KG-5	1497 Sierra Road East	Helena	59602	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1500	370	24	15.4	25.4%	310 (83.8%)	8 (2.2%)	38 (10.3%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.7%)	60	142^nd of 332 public elementary schools	57.2%		57.1	164^th of 329 public elementary schools	50.2%	22	42.5	43.3	42.6	$13,483
Warren School	Public	PK, KG-5	2690 Old York Road	Helena	59602	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1600	307	17	18.4	30.6%	271 (88.3%)	2 (0.7%)	16 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.6%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (1.0%)	67.3	114^th of 332 public elementary schools	65.7%		83.6	66^th of 329 public elementary schools	79.9%	48	48.3	44.3	46.8	$13,083

Frequently Asked Questions about Kessler Elementary School

What district is Kessler Elementary School in?

Helena Elementary

How many students attend Kessler Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 248 students attended Kessler Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Kessler Elementary School?

Students at Kessler Elementary School are 84% White, 10% Hispanic, 3% American Indian, 2% African American, 1% Two or more races.

Is Kessler Elementary School a good school?

Kessler Elementary School ranks 216^th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Kessler Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Kessler Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : C R Anderson Middle School
High : Capital 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.