Jim Darcy School

Q: Is Jim Darcy School a good school?

Jim Darcy School ranks 171 st of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Jim Darcy School is an elementary school in Helena, Montana, serving 470 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Helena Elementary District. While the district is ranked 115 out of 300 in the state, Jim Darcy School consistently underperforms its peers in the area.

Compared to nearby schools like Jefferson School, Jim Darcy has a significantly higher percentage of white students (90.21% vs. 67.24%-88.49%) and lower test scores across Mathematics, Reading, and Science. In 2022-2023, Jim Darcy's proficiency rates were 31.22%, 41.53%, and 47.56% respectively, compared to the district averages of 41.42%, 52%, and 51.58%. The school's statewide ranking has also declined from 69th out of 123 in 2018-2019 to 171st out of 332 in 2022-2023, with a consistent 2-star rating.

Despite spending more per student ($9,520) than some higher-performing nearby schools like Jefferson School ($8,249) and Warren School ($8,886), Jim Darcy's student-teacher ratio of 17.4 is higher than schools like Central School (9.1) and Kessler Elementary School (12.5). These factors suggest opportunities for improvement in educational outcomes and resource allocation at Jim Darcy School.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

990 Lincoln Road West
Helena, MT 59602

(406) 324-1410

District: Helena Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
171^st of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,351

Students who attend Jim Darcy School usually attend:

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

Student/teacher ratio: 19.4

Number of students: 486

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.6%

Hispanic:

5.1%

Two or more races:

1.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 9.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Jim Darcy School ranks worse than 51.5% of elementary schools in Montana. It also ranks 9^th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Helena Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.72. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Jim Darcy School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Helena Elementary School District. Racial makeup is: White (91.6%), Hispanic (5.1%), two or more races (1.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 9.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Helena Elementary School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Jim Darcy School is 19.4, which is the highest among 11 elementary schools in the Helena Elementary School District! (See more...)

Compare Jim Darcy School employs 25 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Jim Darcy School is $12,351. 9 elementary schools in the Helena Elementary School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Jim Darcy 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.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Jim Darcy School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	48.70	122^nd	217	43.8%
2005	75.32	48^th	218	78.0%
2006	61.06	97^th	234	58.5%
2007	27.45	206^th	230	10.4%
2008	42.50	140^th	194	27.8%
2009	35.80	152^nd	190	20.0%
2010	37.34	187^th	241	22.4%
2011	40.62	176^th	247	28.7%
2012	49.66	151^st	244	38.1%
2013	60.11	102^nd	246	58.5%
2015	46.10	163^rd	287	43.2%
2016	34.71	134^th	191	29.8%
2017	43.64	65^th	109	40.4%
2018	44.63	67^th	116	42.2%
2019	44.74	69^th	123	43.9%
2021	44.00	233^rd	356	34.6%
2022	54.95	177^th	329	46.2%
2023	53.72	171^st	332	48.5%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Jim Darcy School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1990	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	282	282
1991	251	1	2	9	17	n/a	n/a	0	280
1992	264	1	4	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	276
1993	262	1	0	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	271
1994	276	0	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	280
1995	241	3	3	4	7	n/a	n/a	0	258
1996	241	3	3	4	7	n/a	n/a	0	258
1997	234	2	3	6	6	n/a	n/a	0	251
1998	240	1	4	5	6	n/a	n/a	0	256
1999	259	2	5	2	6	n/a	n/a	0	274
2000	270	0	6	2	6	n/a	n/a	0	284
2001	264	0	2	0	11	n/a	n/a	0	277
2002	247	1	4	1	9	n/a	n/a	0	262
2003	247	1	4	1	9	n/a	n/a	0	262
2004	239	4	1	0	13	n/a	n/a	0	257
2005	251	2	1	0	12	n/a	n/a	0	266
2006	245	0	2	1	7	n/a	n/a	0	255
2007	256	0	1	1	5	n/a	n/a	0	263
2008	253	1	2	2	5	n/a	n/a	0	263
2009	265	0	1	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	273
2010	277	0	1	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	287
2011	284	1	1	5	2	0	0	0	293
2012	280	1	0	6	6	0	0	0	293
2013	285	2	0	11	9	0	0	0	307
2014	311	2	0	9	8	0	5	0	335
2015	338	2	2	10	4	0	6	0	362
2016	372	2	1	12	5	0	8	0	400
2017	377	1	1	9	8	0	11	0	407
2018	388	2	0	11	7	0	17	0	425
2019	405	2	0	13	6	2	20	0	448
2020	408	2	1	27	6	2	23	0	469
2021	420	3	1	29	9	0	20	0	482
2022	422	5	1	27	9	0	17	0	481
2023	424	4	1	24	5	0	12	0	470
2024	445	4	1	25	5	0	6	0	486

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 Jim Darcy School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	282	12.0	23.5	12.1
1991	280	12.0	23.3	15.4
1992	276	11.0	25.0	24.6
1993	271	14.0	19.4	19.6
1994	280	13.5	20.7	21.4
1995	258	13.5	19.1	16.7
1996	258	13.5	19.1	16.7
1997	251	13.6	18.5	19.5
1998	256	13.6	18.8	15.2
1999	274	14.8	18.5	25.5
2000	284	14.8	19.2	30.3
2001	277	15.2	18.2	24.5
2002	262	12.1	21.7	23.3
2003	262	12.1	21.7	23.3
2004	257	14.1	18.2	22.2
2005	266	14.2	18.7	23.3
2006	255	13.3	19.2	20.4
2007	263	13.3	19.8	21.7
2008	263	14.6	18.0	20.2
2009	273	15.7	17.4	26.4
2010	287	15.2	18.8	19.2
2011	293	14.9	19.5	23.5
2012	293	15.0	19.4	16.4
2013	307	15.9	19.2	20.5
2014	335	16.6	20.1	22.1
2015	362	19.0	19.0	24
2016	400	19.0	21.0	27.3
2017	407	20.9	19.4	26.5
2018	425	23.9	17.7	22.1
2019	448	23.0	19.4	25
2020	469	25.8	18.1	21.1
2021	482	26.0	18.5	n/a
2022	481	26.0	18.5	n/a
2023	470	27.0	17.4	n/a
2024	486	25.0	19.4	9.9

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 Jim Darcy School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	282	12.0	23.5	12.1
1991	280	12.0	23.3	15.4
1992	276	11.0	25.0	24.6
1993	271	14.0	19.4	19.6
1994	280	13.5	20.7	21.4
1995	258	13.5	19.1	16.7
1996	258	13.5	19.1	16.7
1997	251	13.6	18.5	19.5
1998	256	13.6	18.8	15.2
1999	274	14.8	18.5	25.5
2000	284	14.8	19.2	30.3
2001	277	15.2	18.2	24.5
2002	262	12.1	21.7	23.3
2003	262	12.1	21.7	23.3
2004	257	14.1	18.2	22.2
2005	266	14.2	18.7	23.3
2006	255	13.3	19.2	20.4
2007	263	13.3	19.8	21.7
2008	263	14.6	18.0	20.2
2009	273	15.7	17.4	26.4
2010	287	15.2	18.8	19.2
2011	293	14.9	19.5	23.5
2012	293	15.0	19.4	16.4
2013	307	15.9	19.2	20.5
2014	335	16.6	20.1	22.1
2015	362	19.0	19.0	24
2016	400	19.0	21.0	27.3
2017	407	20.9	19.4	26.5
2018	425	23.9	17.7	22.1
2019	448	23.0	19.4	25
2020	469	25.8	18.1	21.1
2021	482	26.0	18.5	n/a
2022	481	26.0	18.5	n/a
2023	470	27.0	17.4	n/a
2024	486	25.0	19.4	9.9

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 Jim Darcy School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,520
2021	$10,438
2022	$11,764
2023	$12,351

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Jim Darcy 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 69^th of 123 Elementary schools	Ranks 171^st of 332 Elementary schools	4.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	448	470	4.9%
African American	2	4	100%
American Indian	6	5	16.7%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	13	24	84.6%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	405	424	4.7%
Two or More Races	20	12	40%

Schools Near Jim Darcy 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
Jim Darcy School	Public	PK, KG-5	990 Lincoln Road West	Helena	59602	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1410	486	25	19.4	9.9%	445 (91.6%)	4 (0.8%)	25 (5.1%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.2%)	53.7	171^st of 332 public elementary schools	48.5%		55	177^th of 329 public elementary schools	46.2%	6	31.2	41.5	47.6	$12,351
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
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
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
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
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
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Darcy School

Is Jim Darcy School a good school?

Jim Darcy School ranks 171^st of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Jim Darcy School attend?

Students who attend Jim Darcy School usually go on to attend:

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

How many students attend Jim Darcy School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 486 students attended Jim Darcy School.

What is the racial makeup of Jim Darcy School?

Students at Jim Darcy School are 92% White, 5% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

What district is Jim Darcy School in?

Helena Elementary

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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.