Idaho’s Top 20 Public High Schools for 2026

Back-to-school season is officially here, and for a lot of Idaho families, it’s more than just buying notebooks and finding that one missing shoe. It’s also the time of year when parents start asking, “How does our school stack up?”

woman carrying white and green textbook

The education website Niche has released its list of the Best Public High Schools in Idaho for 2026, ranking 255 public high schools across the state. And if you live here in the Treasure Valley, you’ll probably recognize quite a few names near the top.

women playing volleyball inside court

Before we jump into the rankings, it’s worth pointing out that these aren’t simply based on test scores.

How Niche Ranked Idaho High Schools

Niche uses a combination of data from the U.S. Department of Education along with reviews from students and parents. Their rankings look at factors like:

• Academic performance
• College readiness
• Graduation rates
• AP, IB and dual-credit opportunities
• Teacher quality
• Student-to-teacher ratios
• Diversity
• Student and parent reviews

They’re trying to paint a picture of what it’s actually like to attend the school, not just how students perform on standardized tests.

The Treasure Valley Shows Up Big

One thing that really jumped out to me when I read the list, is just how many Treasure Valley schools appeared there. 14 of Idaho’s Top 20 public high schools are located right here in Ada or Canyon County.

a person wearing a graduation cap and gown

That’s a pretty impressive showing and speaks to the variety of educational options available here. We have traditional public schools, charter schools focused on medicine, technology, International Baccalaureate programs and early college opportunities.

Whether your student is headed into kindergarten or their senior year, Idaho families have more high-quality public education choices than ever before.