What Helena School District No 1 (inc) does

Helena School District No. 1, operating as Helena Public Schools (HPS), is a public K-12 school district and political subdivision of the State of Montana, headquartered at 1325 Poplar Street in Helena, Lewis and Clark County. The district serves students within defined geographic boundaries through 10 elementary schools, two middle schools (C.R. Anderson and Helena Middle), and three high schools (Capital High, Helena High, and the PAL alternative learning program), supplemented by three charter schools—Montessori Charter School, Mount Ascension Academy, and PAL—as well as KinderSprouts early childhood, the Adult Learning Center, PEAK Gifted & Talented, and the School Age Child Care (SACC) program. Core instructional offerings include standards-based curriculum aligned with Montana State Standards, AP courses, career and technical education, special education, English language learner support, fine and performing arts, athletics, and before/after school care, with assessments ranging from Acadience and iReady to NWEA MAP, MAST, ACT, and WIDA.

The district's technology stack is built on Microsoft Office 365, PowerSchool (Student Information System), Clever (digital learning portal), Microsoft Teams, Moodle LMS, Edulog (transportation routing), and RevTrak (online payments), with HR running on Tyler Portico and Frontline Professional Growth. The infrastructure supports PowerSchool-based enrollment, Microsoft Single Sign-On, and optional add-ons including Minecraft for Education. Administrative facilities are distributed across four Helena locations: the Lincoln Center (central administration), a facilities office, the Food Services department, and a transportation depot operating under contract with First Student.

Helena Public Schools is funded primarily through local property taxes, Montana state aid, and federal Title I-IV, IDEA, McKinney-Vento, and Carl Perkins grants, with no private equity or shareholder structure. Fee-based revenue streams include Driver's Education ($335/session), SACC (~$325/week), facility rentals, and school meal programs under the National School Lunch Program. The district employs approximately 1,000 staff, including ~580 certified and ~375 classified, and is governed by an elected seven-member Board of Trustees plus two student representatives, with Superintendent Rex Weltz leading administration. Connection to the Montana Office of Public Instruction provides regulatory oversight and a defined funding channel, but constrains commercial growth and geographic expansion beyond district boundaries.

Name

Helena School District No 1 (inc)

Legal name

Helena School District No. 1

Website

https://helenaschools.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Helena Public Schools is a public K-12 school district in Helena, Montana, serving students across 10 elementary, 2 middle, and 3 high schools plus three charter schools, Adult Learning, and SACC child care, funded primarily by local property taxes, state aid, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE), Public Alternative, Continuation & Credit-Recovery Schools (EDAJAAAG), Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Charter Career & Technical Education (CTE) Schools (EDAJACAK)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• School district services
• Charter school programs
• School age child care
• Student transportation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Helena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding (Tax & State): As a public school district in Montana, Helena Public Schools is primarily funded through a combination of local property taxes, state aid from the Montana Office of Public Instruction, and federal funding programs including Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, McKinney Vento, Carl Perkins, and IDEA.
2. School Meal Program: National School Lunch Program (NSLP) providing breakfast and lunch to students. Families can apply for free and reduced lunch. Revenue is generated through meal purchases and federal reimbursement rates.
3. Facility Use Fees: The district generates revenue through facility rental fees for school buildings and facilities used by community organizations, with a tiered fee structure.
4. Drivers Education: Fee-based drivers education classes at $335 per session, providing classroom instruction (42 hours), driving observation (12 hours), and road instruction (6 hours).
5. School Age Child Care (SACC): Fee-based before and after school child care program for students entering 1st-6th grade, with weekly rates of approximately $325 per child plus activity fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Helena Public Schools operates a comprehensive K-12 public school district providing academic instruction, special education, charter schools (Montessori, Mount Ascension Academy, PAL), adult education, food services, student transportation, before/after school child care, driver's education, and extracurricular athletics and fine arts across 10 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 3 high schools in Helena, Montana.

Product overview

Helena School District No. 1 operates as a comprehensive K-12 public education system offering a diverse portfolio of educational programs and services. The district serves students across 11 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 3 high schools (including alternative education), along with 3 charter schools (Montessori, Mount Ascension Academy, and Project for Alternative Learning), an Adult Learning Center, and various support services. Core academic instruction is delivered through standards-based curriculum aligned with Montana State Standards, supported by technology platforms including PowerSchool, Microsoft Office 365, and various learning management systems. The district provides supplementary services including food services (National School Lunch Program), transportation (via Edulog), before/after school child care (SACC), special education, health services, driver's education, and extensive extracurricular activities including athletics and fine arts. Assessment services utilize iReady and other diagnostic tools to inform instruction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Montessori Charter School: Montessori educational program serving grades K-5 with pods at Broadwater, Central, and Smith elementary schools, serving 11 classrooms and 217 students. Established program operating for over 45 years with lottery-based admission.
• Mount Ascension Academy
• Project for Alternative Learning (PAL)
• School Age Child Care (SACC)
• Adult Learning Center
• PEAK Gifted & Talented Program
• KinderSprouts

Products and services

• K-12 Public Education Services Comprehensive public school education services spanning kindergarten through 12th grade, including academic instruction, extracurricular activities, and student support services across elementary, middle, and high schools.
• Montessori Charter School Montessori education program serving kindergarten through grade 5 with mixed-age classrooms and hands-on, student-led learning. Operates pods at Broadwater, Central, and Smith elementary schools with 11 classrooms serving 217 students. Admission via lottery system.
• Mount Ascension Academy Charter School Hybrid charter school offering a combination of online (at-home) and in-person learning experiences designed to meet students' individual needs in grades 6-12.
• Project for Alternative Learning (PAL) Charter School Alternative learning charter school providing flexible educational options for high school students through a different learning model.
• School Age Child Care (SACC) Fee-based before and after school child care program for students entering 1st-6th grade, with Summer SACC programming at multiple elementary school sites across the district.
• Food Services School breakfast and lunch program participating in the National School Lunch Program, with paperless menus via Nutrislice and payment system via My Mealtime. Includes free and reduced lunch program.
• Transportation Services Student bus transportation with Edulog parent portal for registration, routing, and real-time updates. Includes kindergarten escort program and bus card system.
• Driver's Education Driver's education program with classroom instruction (42 hours), driving observation (12 hours), and road instruction (6 hours) at Helena High and Capital High. Cost is $335 per session.
• Adult Learning Center Adult education services providing literacy programs, GED preparation, and educational opportunities for adults in the Helena community.
• Activities and Athletics Comprehensive activities program including sports (cross-country, football, soccer, golf, basketball, swimming, wrestling, track, softball, tennis, volleyball), fine arts, and live streaming via NFHS Network.
• Special Education Special education services providing free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities in accordance with IDEA, including Child Find clinics for preschool students ages 3-5.
• Facility Use Rentals Facility rental fees for school buildings and facilities used by community organizations, with a tiered fee structure based on facility type and user category.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of third-grade students on grade level in reading (iReady assessment), targeted by end of 2024-25 school year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration18 records

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NFHS Network (National Federation of State High School Associations)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe district streams live athletic and activity events through the NFHS Network. Families and community members can subscribe to watch live events. A portion of the subscription fee is returned to the schools as revenue.
• First Student (School Bus Transportation Contractor)coreOthersFirst Student provides school bus transportation services for the district. The district's Transportation department manages routing and registration while First Student operates the bus fleet. Contact for parents regarding bus location is First Student at (406) 227-7400.
• Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI)coreOthersThe district operates under the authority of Montana's Office of Public Instruction and participates in state programs including Title funding, state assessments (MAST, ACT, WIDA), and compliance with Montana State Standards. OPI provides regulatory oversight and a portion of district funding.
• Holter Museum of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe district collaborates with the Holter Museum of Art for student and teacher art exhibits, providing on-the-job training opportunities and fiscal support. This community partnership enhances fine arts education across the district.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Butte School District #1: Montana public K-12 district operating under similar state oversight and federal funding streams. Comparable in scale, governance, and reliance on Montana OPI for assessment and accountability.
• Bozeman Public Schools: Another Montana public K-12 district of similar scale serving a single Montana community. Comparable in program breadth, governance structure, and funding model, and a direct competitor for attracting families and teachers within the state.
• Kalispell Public Schools: Montana public K-12 district with similar program offerings and funding structure. Operates multiple schools under Montana OPI oversight and is a comparable public K-12 operator in the same state.
• Missoula County Public Schools: Large Montana public K-12 district with similar multi-school campus structure and community-funded operations. Directly comparable in scale, program offerings, and reliance on state aid and property taxes.
• Billings Public Schools: Largest Montana public K-12 district by enrollment, operating a broad portfolio of schools and programs. Comparable in governance model and funding structure, with similar AP, CTE, and special education offerings.
• Great Falls Public Schools: Montana public K-12 district operating multiple elementary, middle, and high schools with charter and alternative programs. Directly comparable as a similarly structured Montana district with overlapping student demographics.

Others

• PowerSchool: Student information system vendor used by Helena for enrollment, grades, and parent portal. An enabling technology supplier rather than a direct competitor, but a key dependency for district operations.
• First Student: School bus transportation contractor providing service for Helena Public Schools. A core operational vendor and partner enabling the district's transportation program.
• NFHS Network: Live streaming platform partnered with the district for athletic and activity broadcasts. An enabling platform that generates ancillary revenue share for Helena schools.

Broad incumbents

• Montana Office of Public Instruction: State-level education authority that oversees all Montana school districts including Helena. Comparable as the regulator that defines curriculum standards, assessments (MAST, ACT, WIDA), and Title funding flows shaping Helena's operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL897Rv6N8vwCrqDKYZCuhHnpZEqbfu1Bo
• Facebookfacebook.com/helenaschoolfoodservice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helena-school-district-no-1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Helena School District No 1 (inc)