Lemhi County Schools & Education
Lemhi County, Idaho
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
19/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
72.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
72.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 83.6%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,921
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,288
School Score
19/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 28/100
State Score Position
#27
of 44 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Lemhi County
Measured School Summary
Lemhi County faces educational challenges with a school score of 19/100 and a graduation rate of 72.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,921 per pupil, Lemhi County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 31% below the Idaho average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 11.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Lemhi County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
8 public schools and 4 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
19/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #27 of 44 Idaho counties with school score data.
Completion
72.0%
11.6 pts below the state average
Funding context
$6,921
$633 above the state average
School coverage
8
4 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Lemhi County has 8 public schools across 4 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Lemhi County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Choice-program county
Lemhi County has a visible charter, magnet, or virtual-school layer in NCES records. The practical question is eligibility, lottery timing, and transportation, not just whether a school appears nearby.
State position
#27
of 44 Idaho counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
SALMON DISTRICT
Elementary and high visible
683 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
SOUTH LEMHI DISTRICT
Elementary school only in this slice
120 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
FERN-WATERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL INC.
Middle school only in this slice
75 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
UPPER CARMEN PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL INC.
Elementary school only in this slice
59 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
SALMON DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 4 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Lemhi County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Lemhi County district systems?
Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Lemhi County, Idaho
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Lemhi County's Small-Scale School System
Lemhi County operates eight public schools across four districts, serving a total of 937 students. The system consists of three elementary, one middle, and two high schools, along with two schools designated for other grade ranges. Remarkably, 25% of the county's schools are charter institutions, providing significant variety for a small population.
Salmon District and Charter Options
The Salmon District is the primary provider, educating 683 students across four schools. Charter schools play a large role here, with Fern-Waters and Upper Carmen serving over 10% of the county's total enrollment combined. This high percentage of charter schools offers families more specialized educational paths than many neighboring counties.
An Intimate, Remote Learning Environment
With an average school size of just 134 students, learning in Lemhi County is highly personalized. Schools are split evenly between rural and town locales, with Salmon Jr/Sr High being the largest campus at 395 students. The smallest schools, like Upper Carmen Charter, serve as few as 59 students, creating a truly close-knit atmosphere.
School Overview
Total Schools
8
in Lemhi County
Reported Enrollment
937
8 schools reporting
School Districts
4
districts
Charter Schools
2
25% of total
School Level Breakdown
4 School Districts in Lemhi County
SALMON DISTRICT
SOUTH LEMHI DISTRICT
FERN-WATERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL INC.
UPPER CARMEN PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL INC.
8 Public Schools in Lemhi County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 8 of 8 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SALMON JR/SR HIGH SCHOOL | Record | SALMON DISTRICT | SALMON, 83467Town: Remote | 6–12 | High | 395 |
| SALMON PIONEER PRIMARY SCHOOL | Record | SALMON DISTRICT | SALMON, 83467Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 281 |
| LEADORE SCHOOL | Record | SOUTH LEMHI DISTRICT | LEADORE, 83464Rural: Remote | PK–12 | Other | 109 |
| FERN-WATERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL | Record | FERN-WATERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL INC. | SALMON, 83647Town: Remote | 4–8 | Charter | 75 |
| UPPER CARMEN PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL | Record | UPPER CARMEN PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL INC. | CARMEN, 83462Rural: Distant | KG–3 | Charter | 59 |
| TENDOY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | SOUTH LEMHI DISTRICT | TENDOY, 83468Rural: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 11 |
| SALMON ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL | Record | SALMON DISTRICT | SALMON, 83467Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | Alternative | 7 |
| SALMON JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER | Record | SALMON DISTRICT | SALMON, 83467Town: Remote | 1–12 | Alternative | 0 |
SALMON PIONEER PRIMARY SCHOOL
SALMON DISTRICT
SALMON, 83467 / Town: Remote
FERN-WATERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL
FERN-WATERS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL INC.
SALMON, 83647 / Town: Remote
UPPER CARMEN PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL
UPPER CARMEN PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL INC.
CARMEN, 83462 / Rural: Distant
TENDOY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
SOUTH LEMHI DISTRICT
TENDOY, 83468 / Rural: Remote
SALMON ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL
SALMON DISTRICT
SALMON, 83467 / Rural: Fringe
SALMON JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER
SALMON DISTRICT
SALMON, 83467 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,921
State avg $6,288
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Lemhi County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Idaho counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Idaho?
How should I read the school score in Lemhi County?
What is the graduation rate in Lemhi County?
How much does Lemhi County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Lemhi County, Idaho — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Lemhi County, Idaho?
Lemhi County operates eight public schools across four districts, serving a total of 937 students. The system consists of three elementary, one middle, and two high schools, along with two schools designated for other grade ranges. Remarkably, 25% of the county's schools are charter institutions, providing significant variety for a small population.
What are the major school districts in Lemhi County, Idaho?
The Salmon District is the primary provider, educating 683 students across four schools. Charter schools play a large role here, with Fern-Waters and Upper Carmen serving over 10% of the county's total enrollment combined. This high percentage of charter schools offers families more specialized educational paths than many neighboring counties.
What is the school experience like in Lemhi County?
With an average school size of just 134 students, learning in Lemhi County is highly personalized. Schools are split evenly between rural and town locales, with Salmon Jr/Sr High being the largest campus at 395 students. The smallest schools, like Upper Carmen Charter, serve as few as 59 students, creating a truly close-knit atmosphere.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.