Idaho School Enrollment Plummets by 8,983 Students This Fall

Idaho public school enrollment fell by 8,983 students this fall, marking a 2.9% decrease over the summer.

According to data provided by the Idaho Department of Education, the state now has 304,871 students enrolled in schools, down from 313,854 at the end of the previous school year. This represents the largest enrollment drop in at least 10 years and continues a yearslong trend.

While Idaho’s total population has climbed above 2 million residents, the demographic shift is not reflecting in the classroom. Lisa Grigg, an economist with the Idaho Department of Labor, said that just 8% of growth is attributed to school-aged children.

Student losses vary across the state's school districts. Traditional public school districts are bearing the brunt of the decline, while charter schools have emerged as the primary beneficiaries of the shift.

The contraction is most visible in Idaho’s largest school systems. The Boise School District, the state’s second largest, continued its years-long losing trend with a drop of more than 1,000 students. West Ada, the state’s largest district, also saw a drop of 745 students, or 2% of its enrollment.

Out of 117 traditional public school districts, 102 lost students this fall. Only 15 districts either gained or maintained their enrollment numbers. The only exception among the larger districts was Lakeland, which added two students to its total of 4,650. In terms of growth, the largest enrollment gain in a traditional district was in the tiny Plummer-Worley district, which added 30 students, an 8% increase.

District/School Name	Enrollment Change	Percentage Change
Boise	-1,085	-5%
West Ada	-745	-2%
Idaho Home Learning Academy	-742	-10%
Nampa	-646	-5%
Pocatello	-518	-5%

Charter schools saw a net gain of about 515 students, following the fall opening of seven new institutions. New charter schools accounted for 2,124 students, including 658 at Brabion Academy and 14 at Trailhead Virtual Academy. However, the sector saw mixed results, as 43 charter schools lost enrollment while 39 either gained or maintained theirs.

The Idaho Home Learning Academy experienced the largest enrollment drop among charters, losing 742 students. This follows a period of scrutiny after a report during the last legislative session found that payments of up to $1,800 had been spent inappropriately to families, though payments have more guardrails on how they’re spent this year.

The movement of students away from traditional and virtual public schools coincides with the first year of the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit. 12,561 students applied for the credit, which provides up to $5,000 per student—or $7,500 for a student with special needs—to cover homeschooling costs or private school tuition.

Specific data regarding the demographics of those receiving the tax credit remains unavailable, as requests for that information were denied.

The enrollment decline is not uniform across all grade levels. Data indicates that the drop is concentrated among elementary students, whereas enrollment in middle and high schools continues to grow.

Virtual schools, including both district-governed and charter options, also declined. This follows a $3 million funding cut to virtual public schools during the last legislative session.

The following schools saw the highest enrollment increases among existing institutions:

ISucceed Virtual High: 175 students (10%)
Idaho Virtual High: 129 students (16%)
Doral Academy of Idaho: 101 students (33%)
Gem Prep Online: 70 students (17%)
Inspire Academics: 70 students (5%)

Enrollment figures are subject to change throughout the school year as students move and schools correct data inputs. Districts report enrollment to the state monthly.