equity
Native American Students Lead Idaho's Absence Recovery With 11.5-Point Drop
Native American students cut their chronic absenteeism rate from 32.8% to 21.3% over four years, far outpacing every other racial group in Idaho.
Idaho Education News & Data
district-spotlight
One in Three Caldwell Students Are Chronically Absent
Caldwell District's 34.1% chronic absenteeism rate is the highest among Idaho's large districts — and higher than when the state started tracking the data.
chronic_absenteeism
Idaho's Chronic Absenteeism Recovery Has Nearly Stalled
Idaho's absenteeism rate dropped just 0.4 points last year after sharp improvements in 2023 and 2024, leaving 44,640 students still habitually absent.
enrollment
Idaho Is 17,871 Students Below Its Growth Curve
Idaho added 3,500 students a year for 17 years. Since 2023, it has lost nearly 5,000, and the gap between actual enrollment and pre-COVID projections widens every year.
graduation
Idaho's Senior Class Hit a Record. So Did Its Survival Rate.
96.5% of Idaho 9th graders now reach 12th grade, up from 87.7% two decades ago. The 9th grade retention bulge has nearly vanished.
early-education
Nearly One in Five Idaho Kindergarteners Had a Public Pre-K Year
Idaho's public preschool enrollment grew 65% since 2002 despite zero state funding, driven entirely by district-level decisions and federal special education dollars.
district-spotlight
Bonneville Joint Grew 78% in 24 Years, Then Stopped
Eastern Idaho's largest district added 5,943 students over two decades. Three consecutive years of decline signal the growth era is over.
school-choice
One Network, Seven Campuses, 3,240 Students
Gem Prep grew from a single Pocatello charter to Idaho's first multi-campus network in nine years, now enrolling 12% of all charter students statewide.
demographics
Boise Shrinks While Its Suburbs Nearly Triple
Vallivue has grown 175% since 2002 as Boise lost 4,604 students. The Treasure Valley's suburban donut is reshaping Idaho education.
governance
Five Students, One District: Idaho's Micro-School Fragility
Three Creek enrolls 5 students. Two more districts have single digits. Idaho now has 17 districts under 100 students, the most in 25 years.
district-spotlight
Vallivue Crossed 10,000 Students While Its Neighbors Shrink
Vallivue has nearly tripled since 2002, climbing from Idaho's 20th to 6th largest district while neighbors Nampa and Caldwell shrink.
enrollment
35 Districts at Record Highs, 38 at Record Lows
Idaho's enrollment split: charter and suburban growth masks accelerating losses at the state's largest and oldest school districts.
school-choice
One Virtual School, 7,504 Students, Zero Classrooms
Idaho Home Learning Academy appeared in 2025 with 7,504 students, a $47.8M budget, and test scores trailing the state by 18 points in math.
demographics
Grade 12 Now Tops Kindergarten by 5,132 Students
Idaho's 12th grade enrollment has surged 43.7% since 2002 while kindergarten grew just 13.1%, creating a pipeline imbalance that guarantees years of further decline.
district-spotlight
Boise Has Lost 4,458 Students in Nine Years
Idaho's capital city school district has been shrinking every year since 2017, losing 17% of its enrollment as families move to suburbs and birth rates fall.
