These are the best high schools in Idaho. Does your child go to one?
Does your child’s school make the grade?
U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the best public high schools in Idaho and the United States, based on college readiness, graduation rates and more.
The publication sought out schools whose students “demonstrated outstanding outcomes above expectations in math, reading and science state assessments; earned qualifying scores on an array of college-level exams and graduated in high proportion.”
More than half of Idaho’s top 10 high schools are in the Boise area, according to U.S. News.
Here’s which campuses made the cut:
What is the No. 1 public high school in Idaho?
Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy School was the No. 1 high school in Idaho for the 2025-26 school year, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The Coeur d’Alene school serves 240 students in ninth through 12th grade, with a student-teacher ratio of 19 to one.
It has a 96% graduation rate — “well above the state median,” U.S. News said.
“Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy is dedicated to providing a rigorous, content-rich, college preparatory education for any students who are willing to accept the challenge,” the school said on its website.
“Students can expect challenging coursework and a demanding workload focusing on both core knowledge and higher-order reasoning skills,” school representatives said.
What are the best high schools in the Boise area?
North Star Charter School in Eagle came in second place on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top public high schools in Idaho.
It serves 186 students in ninth through 12th grade with a 78% graduation rate and a student-teacher ratio of 21 to one.
Renaissance High School in Meridian was third in the state.
With 672 students in ninth through 12th grade, Renaissance High boasts one teacher for every 15 students. It also has a 99% graduation rate.
With an 88% graduation rate, the Sage International School of Boise took the No. 4 spot on U.S. News’ list of Idaho’s top high schools.
Sage International School has a student-teacher ratio of 16 to one, with 1,022 students total. However, students don’t begin college preparation courses until 11th grade, according to the school’s website.
McCall-Donnelly High School landed at No. 6 on the list and No. 1,317 with a graduation rate of 98% and a student-teacher ratio of 15 to one.
The McCall high school has 439 students in ninth through 12th grade.
Boise’s Timberline High School took seventh place with a 90% graduation rate and a student-to-teacher ratio of 20 to one. It has a total of 1,391 students in 10th through 12th grade.
Taking the No. 9 spot was Boise High School, which has a graduation rate of 89% and a student-teacher ratio of 18 to one.
There are a total of 1,517 students in 10th through 12th grade at Boise High.
Where are the top 10 high schools in Idaho?
According to U.S. News & World Report, these were the top 10 high schools in Idaho for the 2025-26 school year:
- Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy School
- North Star Charter School in Eagle
- Renaissance High School in Meridian
- Sage International School of Boise
- Rockland Public School
- McCall-Donnelly High School in McCall
- Timberline High School in Boise
- Century High School in Pocatello
- Boise High School
- Twin Falls High School
How did U.S. News & World Reports rank high schools?
“We looked at thousands of public schools to identify the top performers,” U.S. News & World Report said.
Working with research firm RTI International, U.S. News ranked nearly 18,000 public high schools out of more than 24,000 reviewed. These schools had a 12th grade enrollment of 15 students or greater.
U.S. News said researchers looked at “six indicators of school quality.” They were:
- College readiness
- College curriculum breadth
- State assessment proficiency
- State assessment performance
- Underserved student performance
- Graduation rate.
Data for the study came from the U.S. Department of Education, the Idaho Department of Education, College Board and International Baccalaureate, as well as individual schools.
