Here are the best-ranked public high schools in Ada County. Did your school make the list?

Shaun Goodwin
·4 min read

Over two-thirds of Idaho’s 15 best public high schools are in the Treasure Valley, according to school-ranking site Niche.

After analyzing data and reviews of the state’s 243 public high schools, Niche graded each school for its academics, diversity and teachers.

The 2023 report ranked Renaissance High School in Meridian as the best public high school in the state — three more Ada County schools made up the top four public high schools in the Gem State.

Renaissance High School, in the West Ada School District, has a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1 and earned an overall grade of A+ in the Niche ranking. Renaissance earned an A+ rating for teachers, an A+ in academics and a B+ in diversity.

“According to state test scores, 82% of students are at least proficient in math and 95% in reading,” Niche reports.

Niche grades and analyzes schools and neighborhoods throughout the U.S. using data from the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Census and FBI, plus more than 100 million reviews and survey responses from students, parents and residents to rank schools in every county and city in the country.

“We get deep, too, asking questions about everything from college prep to cafeteria food,” Niche states on its website. “Though quality data is a priority, at Niche, we know that a school is more than a collection of stats.”

Niche also looks at each school’s academics and culture.

  • Academic Grade: Based on state assessment proficiency and survey responses on academics from students and parents.

  • Teacher Grade: Based on teacher salary, teacher absenteeism, state test results and survey responses on teachers from students and parents.

  • District Grade: Based on rigorous academic and student life data analysis and millions of reviews from students and parents.

  • Culture & Diversity Grade: Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses from students and parents on school culture and diversity.

  • Parent/Student Surveys Grade: Niche survey responses scored on a 1-5 scale regarding the overall experience of students and parents from the school.

Top public high schools in Ada County

Here are the top 15 public high schools in Ada County, according to Niche.

Liberty Charter School (5th), Victory Charter School (9th) and Gem Prep Nampa (12th) all ranked within the top 15 schools in Idaho, but are not listed below because they are in Canyon County.

1 - Renaissance High School

  • West Ada School District

  • 682 students, student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1

  • Overall grade: A+

  • Academics: A+

  • Diversity: B+

  • Teachers: A+

2 - Meridian Medical Arts Charter School

  • West Ada School District

  • 192 students, student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1

  • Overall grade: A+

  • Academics: A

  • Diversity: B+

  • Teachers: A+

3 - Boise High School

  • Boise School District

  • 1,509 students, student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1

  • Overall grade: A

  • Academics: A

  • Diversity: B

  • Teachers: A

4 - Meridian Technical Charter High School

  • West Ada School District

  • 196 students, student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1

  • Overall grade: A

  • Academics: A

  • Diversity: B-

  • Teachers: A+

5 - Timberline High School

  • Boise School District

  • 1,417 students, student-teacher ratio of 19 to 1

  • Overall grade: A

  • Academics: A

  • Diversity: B

  • Teachers: A-

6 - Sage International School Boise

  • Independent

  • 1,078 students, student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1

  • Overall grade: A

  • Academics: A-

  • Diversity: A-

  • Teachers: A+

7 - North Star Public Charter School

  • Meridian Joint School District

  • 962 students, student-teacher ratio of 19 to 1

  • Overall grade: A-

  • Academics: A-

  • Diversity: B-

  • Teachers: A

8 - Compass Public Charter School

  • Compass Public Charter School Local Education Authority

  • 1,224 students, student-teacher ratio of 20 to 1

  • Overall grade: A-

  • Academics: A-

  • Diversity: B

  • Teachers: A

9 - Centennial High School

  • West Ada School District

  • 1,946 students, student-teacher ratio of 21 to 1

  • Overall grade: A-

  • Academics: B+

  • Diversity: B+

  • Teachers: A

10 - Mountain View High School

  • West Ada School District

  • 2,368 students, student-teacher ratio of 22 to 1

  • Overall grade: B+

  • Academics: B

  • Diversity: B

  • Teachers: A

11 - Capital High School

  • Boise School District

  • 1,192 students, student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1

  • Overall grade: B+

  • Academics: B

  • Diversity: A-

  • Teachers: B+

12 - Rocky Mountain High School

  • West Ada School District

  • 1,978 students, student-teacher ratio of 22 to 1

  • Overall grade: B+

  • Academics: B+

  • Diversity: B-

  • Teachers: A-

13 - Borah High School

  • Boise School District

  • 1,287 students, student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1

  • Overall grade: B+

  • Academics: B

  • Diversity: A-

  • Teachers: A-

14 - Eagle High School

  • West Ada School District

  • 1,771 students, student-teacher ratio of 22 to 1

  • Overall grade: B+

  • Academics: B+

  • Diversity: C+

  • Teachers: A

15 - Idaho Fine Arts Academy

  • West Ada School District

  • 213 students, student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1

  • Overall grade: B+

  • Academics: B

  • Diversity: B-

  • Teachers: A