Idaho Schools & Education
Public school metrics and education data for all 44 counties.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataAvg Graduation Rate
83.6%
Avg Per-Pupil Spending
$6,288
Avg School Score
28/100
Total Schools
793
185 districts
State Overview
About Schools in Idaho
This summary is generated from the NCES metrics shown on this page and reviewed against the source data by the Data Editor. It is not school advice.
Idaho Education Operates on a Lean Budget
Idaho's average graduation rate of 83.6% trails the national average of 87.0%. The state ranks significantly lower in investment, spending only $6,288 per pupil compared to the $13,000 national benchmark.
Top Performers Lead with Grad Rates and Resources
Blaine County leads the state with a 61.6 score, bolstered by Idaho's highest per-pupil spending of $11,244. Fremont and Teton counties follow closely, both achieving impressive 97.0% graduation rates despite more modest budgets near $6,260.
State Score Context
How Idaho Counties Are Distributed
44 of 44 counties have enough NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data to receive a county school score. Use this distribution to understand whether the state has a concentrated cluster of high, midrange, or lower measured signals.
Scored county coverage
Counties with complete enough data for the composite score
100%
Higher measured signal
Score range 70-100
1
Midrange measured signal
Score range 40-69
8
Lower measured signal
Score range 0-39
35
Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.
Best school counties
Best Counties for Public School Research in Idaho
For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in Idaho, start with county-level evidence, then open individual school and district records. SchoolsByCounty ranks counties by public education signals, not by private opinions or paid school ratings.
Short answer for Idaho
Clark County is the strongest county-level starting point in Idaho by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 89/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.
Ranking methodology
44 of 44 counties have enough federal education data for a county school score. The ranking favors counties with stronger available graduation-rate and school-finance signals, then asks parents to verify individual school fit locally. The table below should help parents choose what to compare next; it should not replace attendance-boundary checks, program eligibility, commute, services, or direct district confirmation.
State average per-pupil spending in this dataset: $6,288.
Top measured county school signals
Ranked by the county school score where enough federal data is available.
Teton County
97.0%
Teton County has the strongest reported county graduation-rate signal in Idaho. Use this as a broad county context, then review individual high-school records.
Blaine County
$11,244
Blaine County reports the highest per-pupil spending among counties with available data. Higher spending is context, not a guarantee of student fit.
Elmore County
1/100
Elmore County has one of the lowest measured county school signals in Idaho. Review missing data, district context, and individual school records before drawing conclusions.
District research
Compare Idaho public school districts before narrowing by address
Idaho has 185 public school district records and 793 school records in the NCES file. Use the district hub to sort large district systems by enrollment, school count, county context, and generated district-guide coverage.
All Idaho Counties
| County | School Score |
|---|---|
Clark County
| 89/100 |
Blaine County
| 66/100 |
Teton County
| 58/100 |
Fremont County
| 58/100 |
Valley County
| 55/100 |
Caribou County
| 54/100 |
Latah County
| 47/100 |
Nez Perce County
| 43/100 |
Lewis County
| 43/100 |
Camas County
| 39/100 |
Butte County
| 37/100 |
Clearwater County
| 36/100 |
Custer County
| 34/100 |
Oneida County
| 34/100 |
Shoshone County
| 34/100 |
Madison County
| 32/100 |
Owyhee County
| 31/100 |
Bannock County
| 29/100 |
Power County
| 28/100 |
Lincoln County
| 26/100 |
Boise County
| 26/100 |
Bonner County
| 26/100 |
Jefferson County
| 24/100 |
Adams County
| 22/100 |
Benewah County
| 21/100 |
Boundary County
| 20/100 |
Lemhi County
| 19/100 |
Idaho County
| 18/100 |
Gem County
| 18/100 |
Bingham County
| 17/100 |
Franklin County
| 16/100 |
Washington County
| 16/100 |
Payette County
| 15/100 |
Kootenai County
| 13/100 |
Cassia County
| 13/100 |
Bonneville County
| 11/100 |
Twin Falls County
| 10/100 |
Bear Lake County
| 8/100 |
Gooding County
| 8/100 |
Ada County
| 7/100 |
Minidoka County
| 6/100 |
Jerome County
| 5/100 |
Canyon County
| 4/100 |
Elmore County
| 1/100 |
— = data not available for this county.
Compare county school profiles in Idaho
Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions About Idaho Schools
Which Idaho counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Idaho?
What are the best school counties in Idaho?
Which Idaho county has the strongest measured school score?
What is the average graduation rate in Idaho?
Which county in Idaho has the lowest school score?
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.