Idaho Has the Highest Dropout Rate in the US, School Funding an Issue

Most schools in Idaho have now started their classes for the 2026/2027 year. There are always a few that don’t start until later for logistical reasons or to not interrupt fair season.

As the kids head back to school, they’ll face a year of classwork in the most underfunded schools in the United States. Idaho kids will also be the most likely to dropout before graduating.

School Funding Could Be a Reason Idaho Has the Highest Dropout Rate in the US

There are a lot of reasons and factors that could contribute to a student dropping out of high school before they graduate, but data from a recent WalletHub study points to funding as a possible contributor.

Idaho ranked dead last in Educational Spending and has the highest Dropout Rate of any state. The study says Idaho has a ‘Weak School System’.

Why Does Idaho Have the Highest Dropout Rate in the United States?

WalletHub used 32 key metrics to determine where each state ranked on the list of the best and worst, so it isn’t just funding and kids dropping out that are bringing Idaho down. We have some good things going on with our students, so overall we ranked 40th instead of 51st (the study includes the District of Columbia) - which still isn’t good.

Idaho ranked extremely low in educational quality (40th) and school safety (43rd). You can look through the data on the WalletHub website to see what other factors contributed to Idaho’s low ranking.

READ ALSO: These Are the Best and the Worst Schools in Idaho