Enrollment and Demographics
Enrollment in Idaho’s K-12 public schools is down by nearly 4,500 students from last school year, despite unprecedented growth at virtual schools.
In all, 105 districts and charter schools lost students, numbers from the State Department of Education show. The 1.6% drop from last year — Idaho’s first overall enrollment decline in decades — accompanies an unprecedented influx of students at virtual schools and newly created remote learning programs in districts scrambling to provide flexibility for families during the coronavirus pandemic.
During the 2019-20 school year, Idaho capped off a nearly 30-year growth rally with 312,000 students. This year’s decline brings the number to 307,428.
Idaho’s largest school districts saw the biggest enrollment drops.
West Ada lost 2,584 students (6.4%) during the coronavirus-disrupted school year.
Coeur d’Alene lost 1,031 students, or 9.3% of its population, and Boise lost 1,627 students, or 6.4% of its population.
Idaho’s public charter schools saw an increase of 5,118 students, thanks largely to enrollment hikes at various virtual schools and the creation of five new charter schools.
Student Enrollment Over Time
Idaho’s annual enrollment growth has hovered around 1.3% until this year, when enrollment dropped for the first time in 30 years.
Virtual Schools in Districts and Charters Saw the Most Growth
For the fourth straight year, the Oneida School District’s Idaho Home Learning Academy led Idaho in student growth, adding some 4,500 new students. The unprecedented influx took the district’s enrollment from 3,329 to 7,818 since last year alone — a 134.8% increase.
Families have flocked to virtual schools during the pandemic. Here’s a closer look at the five top-growing charters from last year, which were all virtual:
| School | 2019-20 Enrollment | 2020-21 Enrollment | Increase / % Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Virtual Academy | 1,736 | 3,818 | 2,082 / +120 |
| Inspire Virtual Charter | 1,048 | 1,830 | 782 / +75 |
| iSucceed Charter High | 657 | 978 | 321 / +49 |
| Gem Prep Online | 322 | 575 | 253 / +79 |
| Idaho College/Career Readiness Charter | 159 | 293 | 134 / +84 |
Enrollment Ethnicity
Enrollment changes every day. The latest numbers from November 2020 are a snapshot in time.
Idaho Is Expected to Get More Public Charter Schools
Charter schools became increasingly more popular during the global pandemic when Idaho families flocked to more polished online instruction models or a more nimble and smaller learning environment.
Enrollment at new schools also drove this year’s growth among charters. Five first-year charters added a combined 852 kids from last year.
Also, 29 of 52 existing brick-and-mortar charters added students from last year, with several aided by federal and private grants earmarked to expand Idaho’s charter sector.
Idaho’s first public charter opened its doors 23 years ago with 168 kids. Today, more than 30,598 kids and their families have made the choice to move from the neighborhood school to a public charter school.
Charter School Growth Over Time
Public charter schools — funded with public dollars — tout a range of educational niches, from college prep and the arts to science, medicine and online learning.
Charter School Enrollment Growth Over Time
Charter schools absorbed most all of Idaho’s K-12 growth in the 2020-21 school year and now account for 10% of the student population. The charter school population increased by 20.6%, the first double-digit increase in the past six years.