Best Schools in Meridian, Idaho
50 schools · 22 Elementary · 7 Middle · 14 High · 7 Other
Choosing a school in Meridian?
Use this page to compare every school in Meridian by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Chief Joseph School of the Arts
Elementary · Joint School District No. 2. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Renaissance High School
High · Joint School District No. 2. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Meridian Medical Arts Charter
High · Joint School District No. 2. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Meridian for 2026 are Chief Joseph School of the Arts (9.0/10), Renaissance High School (9.0/10), and Meridian Medical Arts Charter (8.8/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 44 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
50
44 public · 6 private
Avg Score
7.2
out of 10
Median Home
$490,150
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Schools
50
44 public · 6 private
Avg Score
7.2
out of 10
Median Home
$490,150
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Rates 9.0/10 despite 45% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.1 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Meridian schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Meridian
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 44 rated schools; 50 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chief Joseph School of the Arts | 9.0 / 10 |
| 2 | Renaissance High School | 9.0 / 10 |
| 3 | Meridian Medical Arts Charter | 8.8 / 10 |
| 4 | Paramount Elementary School | 8.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Willow Creek Elementary School | 8.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Barbara Morgan Stem Academy | 8.7 / 10 |
| 7 | Discovery Elementary School | 8.7 / 10 |
| 8 | Pleasant View Elementary | 8.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Gem Prep: Online School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 10 | Meridian Technical Charter High School | 8.6 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.2/10
- Median household income
- $98,701
- Median home value
- $490,150
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 44%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 77%
61% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Meridian compares
Idaho rank
#10 of 73
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.9
above Idaho avg (6.3)
Median household income
$99k
139% of Idaho median
Schools in this city
49
Joint School District No. 2 runs 80% of Meridian's public schools
Meridian touches 8 districts, but Joint School District No. 2 is the one most addresses actually attend.
Joint School District No. 2 accounts for 35 of 44 public schools (80%). The other 7 districts hold the remaining 9.
Among 44 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.3 to 9.0 — the spread is inside Meridian, not a citywide average.
9 of the 44 public schools are charters (20%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Joint School District No. 235 public · 80%
- Idaho Virtual Academy Inc.2 public · 5%
- Kuna Joint District2 public · 5%
- Compass Public Charter School Inc.1 public · 2%
- Doral Academy of Idaho Inc.1 public · 2%
About Schools in Meridian, Idaho
Meridian, Idaho offers parents one of the more competitive public school landscapes in the state. Across 44 ranked public schools, the city averages a strong 6.4 out of 10 — and nearly half the district clears the high-performance bar: 21 schools, 48% of the total, score 7 or above. That concentration of quality gives families real options regardless of which neighborhood they land in.
The elementary tier is where Meridian particularly shines. Peregrine Elementary leads all 44 schools with an 8.8 out of 10 — the top score in the city. Barbara Morgan STEM Academy follows at 8.7, offering a specialized science and technology focus for families who want a mission-driven environment early. Chief Joseph School of the Arts rounds out the top three elementaries at 8.6, giving parents a compelling arts-integrated alternative within the same performance tier. That three-school cluster at the top of the elementary rankings signals a district that has invested seriously in differentiated programming, not just baseline instruction.
The secondary schools hold their own. Renaissance High School earns an 8.6, matching Chief Joseph and trailing only the top two elementaries citywide. Meridian Technical Charter High School lands at 8.5, providing a career-and-technical pathway for students who want applied learning before graduation. Parents of high schoolers aren't sacrificing quality for specialization — both schools rank among the city's five best across all grade levels.
For parents comparing Meridian to neighboring cities, the 48% rate of 7-plus schools is the number to carry. It means the odds of landing in a strong school are better than a coin flip across the city — a meaningful assurance for families who can't handpick their catchment zone. The weaker end of the distribution still exists (44 schools spans a real range), so checking individual school scores by address remains the right move before committing to a neighborhood. But the ceiling here is high, the average is solid, and the specialized programming at every grade level gives motivated families a genuine menu to work from.
Elementary Schools
22 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 504 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.0 |
| 2 | 482 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.8 |
| 3 | 533 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.8 |
| 4 | 434 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.7 |
| 5 | 477 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.7 |
| 6 | 656 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.7 |
| 7 | 605 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.6 |
| 8 | 478 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.5 |
| 9 | 496 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.3 |
| 10 | 584 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.1 |
Show all 22 elementary schools in Meridian
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 814 students · 6th–8th | 7.5 |
| 2 | 1,035 students · 6th–8th | 7.5 |
| 3 | 1,057 students · 6th–8th | 7.4 |
| 4 | 955 students · 6th–8th | 6.8 |
| 5 | 858 students · 6th–8th | 6.7 |
| 6 | 128 students · 6th–8th | 6.5 |
| 7 | 140 students · 6th–8th | 4.8 |
High Schools
14 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 672 students · 9th–12th | 9.0 |
| 2 | 185 students · 9th–12th | 8.8 |
| 3 | 193 students · 9th–12th | 8.6 |
| 4 | 127 students · 9th–12th | 7.7 |
| 5 | 265 students · 6th–12th | 7.6 |
| 6 | 246 students · 9th–12th | 6.9 |
| 7 | 2,521 students · 9th–12th | 6.9 |
| 8 | 1,911 students · 9th–12th | 6.9 |
| 9 | 1,823 students · 9th–12th | 6.7 |
| 10 | 1,812 students · 9th–12th | 6.3 |
Show all 14 high schools in Meridian
Other Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 362 students · Pre-K–12th | 8.6 | ||
| 2 | 1,264 students · Kindergarten–12th | 7.5 | ||
| 3 | 454 students · Pre-K–12th | 5.6 | ||
| 4 | 1,541 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.3 | ||
Private Schools3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 185 students · Kindergarten–10th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Joshua Institute AcademyPrivate 56 students · 3rd–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | 1,263 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Meridian
Meridian, Idaho · 50 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$98,701
Median Home Value
$490,150
Median Rent
$1,722/mo
Population
132,571
College Educated
44%
Homeownership
77%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Community Profile
Meridian has a median household income of $98,701. It is a well-educated community where 44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $490,150, with a median rent of $1,722/month. The local poverty rate of 6.0% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Idaho
- Elementary
- 22
- Middle
- 7
- High
- 14
- Other
- 7
Resources
School Districts (8)
THE VILLAGE CHARTER SCHOOL INC.
1 school · 70 students
IDAHO COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS ACADEMY INC.
1 school · 127 students
GEM PREP: ONLINE LLC
1 school · 362 students
DORAL ACADEMY OF IDAHO INC.
1 school · 320 students
IDAHO VIRTUAL ACADEMY INC.
2 schools · 1,763 students
COMPASS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL INC.
1 school · 1,264 students
KUNA JOINT DISTRICT
11 schools · 5,795 students
JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2
61 schools · 38,991 students
Other Major Cities in Idaho
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Meridian, Idaho
How many schools are in Meridian, Idaho?
Meridian has 50 schools, including 44 public and 6 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Meridian, Idaho?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Meridian is 7.2 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Meridian, Idaho?
The top-ranked school in Meridian on MySchoolScout is Chief Joseph School of the Arts with a composite score of 9.0/10.
What is the best elementary school in Meridian, Idaho?
The top-ranked elementary school in Meridian on MySchoolScout is Chief Joseph School of the Arts with a composite score of 9.0/10.
What is the best middle school in Meridian, Idaho?
The top-ranked middle school in Meridian on MySchoolScout is Sawtooth Middle School with a composite score of 7.5/10.
What is the best high school in Meridian, Idaho?
The top-ranked high school in Meridian on MySchoolScout is Renaissance High School with a composite score of 9.0/10.
How many school districts serve Meridian, Idaho?
Meridian is served by 8 school districts: The Village Charter School Inc., Idaho College and Career Readiness Academy Inc., Gem Prep: Online Llc, Doral Academy of Idaho Inc., Idaho Virtual Academy Inc., Compass Public Charter School Inc., Kuna Joint District, Joint School District No. 2.
What is the education level in Meridian, Idaho?
According to Census data, 44% of adults in Meridian have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Meridian, Idaho?
The median household income in Meridian is approximately $98,701 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Meridian, Idaho?
Yes, Meridian has 6 private schools alongside 44 public schools. The top-rated private school is A Child's Choice Montessori School with a score of 8.7/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Meridian, Idaho?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Meridian is 18.3:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Meridian, Idaho?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Idaho Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.