These are the best public schools in Idaho, Niche says. Is yours on the list?
The typical child spends more than 16,000 hours in class over the course of their education from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Where kids go to school can impact the quality of this experience.
Niche recently released its 2026 list of the Best Schools in America, evaluating schools based on academics, diversity, teachers and college preparation.
In Idaho, the best elementary, middle and high schools range from traditional campuses to magnet and charter schools, according to Niche.
Here are the best schools in the Gem State, according to the ratings site.
How did Niche identify the best schools in Idaho?
To identify the best public and private schools in the nation, Niche analyzes statistics including state assessment proficiency, diversity rates and student-teacher ratios.
Niche also considers reviews left by students, parents and teachers connected to each school on the site.
Each school is given a grade based on its scores in those metrics — ranging from A+ through D-.
Schools with insufficient available data are not given grades.
What are the best elementary schools in Idaho?
According to Niche, the best public elementary schools in Idaho educate a wide range of children — from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, at most.
These were the top 10 elementary schools in Idaho:
- 1.. White Pine Charter School in Ammon
- 2. Legacy Charter School in Nampa
- 3. Swan Valley Elementary School in Irwin
- 4. Palouse Prairie Charter School in Moscow
- 5. West Park Elementary School in Moscow
- 6. Harrison Elementary School in Harrison
- 7. Donnelly Elementary School in Donnelly
- 8. Collister Elementary School in Boise
- 9. Chief Joseph School of the Arts in Meridian
- 10. Troy Elementary School in Troy
All 10 schools on the list received overall A grades, Niche said, with reviewers emphasizing the campuses’ teachers and academic offerings.
White Pine Charter School ranked No. 1 among the top elementary schools and middle schools in Idaho, according to Niche, receiving the highest marks for teachers and academic offerings.
The school, which serves student in kindergarten through 12th grade, was third on the list of best high schools in the state.
The most recent Niche review for the school is a five-star employee review from 2023. “I absolutely love this school,” a White Pine Charter School staff member wrote in a five-star review in 2023. “I have always been impressed with the dedication of the teachers and staff and their complete commitment to the students who attend White Pine!”
What are top 10 middle schools in Idaho?
The best public middle schools in Idaho all received A grades from Niche.
Here’s which schools made the top 10 list:
- 1.. White Pine Charter School in Ammon
- 2. Legacy Charter School in Nampa
- 3. Swan Valley Elementary School in Irwin
- 4. Payette Lakes Middle School in McCall
- 5. Palouse Prairie Charter School in Moscow
- 6. Harold B. Lee Middle School in Dayton
- 7. Heritage Middle School in Meridian
- 8. Eagle Middle School in Eagle
- 9. Syringa Mountain School in Hailey
- 10. Alturas Preparatory Academy in Idaho Falls
Barring charter school options, Swan Valley scored higher than any other elementary or middle school in the state. The Irwin campus was at No. 153 on Niche’s list of the top K-8 schools in the United States.
What are the best high schools in Idaho?
The best public high schools in Idaho received overall grades of A+ to A-, scoring well for their academics and college preparatory offerings, Niche said.
These Idaho high schools made the top 10:
- 1. Renaissance High School in Meridian
- 2. Meridian Medical Arts Charter School in Meridian
- 3. White Pine Charter School in Ammon
- 4. Boise Senior High School in Boise
- 5. Meridian Technical Charter High School in Meridian
- 6. Alturas Preparatory Academy in Idaho Falls
- 7. North Star Public Charter School in Eagle
- 8. Timberline High School in Boise
- 9. Thomas Jefferson Charter School in Caldwell
- 10. Sage International School in Boise
Idaho’s top-rated high school, Renaissance High School, has a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1, according to Niche.
More than 90% of Renaissance High students are proficient in both math and reading when analyzing state test scores, the review site said, and the school’s average graduation rate is 95%.
“Because of Renaissance, my daughter will be prepared for rocking it in college with an AA and skills in presentations, group projects, and doing deep research,” one parent wrote in a Niche review.
In a separate Niche review, a high senior student said Renaissance High has “amazing resources for help” and “done nothing but prepare me for college.” The student, who will receive an associate’s degree at graduation, said they “love the learning environment.”