Best Public Schools in Hailey, ID

The city of Hailey, Idaho, is served by 6 schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school grades, with a total enrollment of roughly 2,304 students. The schools include 3 elementary schools (Alturas Elementary School, Hailey Elementary School, and Syringa Mountain Charter School), 1 middle school (Wood River Middle School), and 2 high schools (Wood River High School and Silver Creek High School). Five of these schools belong to the Blaine County District, which ranks in the 53rd percentile statewide, while Syringa Mountain Charter School belongs to the Syringa Mountain School Inc. district, ranked in the 90th percentile — a gap that signals a clear academic divide within Hailey.

The standout school in Hailey is Syringa Mountain Charter School, which outperforms every other school by a wide margin: 74.6% math proficiency and 79.7% ELA proficiency compared to state averages of 43.1% and 54.0%, respectively. It achieves these results while spending the least per student ($7,665). Among traditional public schools, Wood River High School is the strongest, improving from the 28th to 53rd percentile in one year and posting strong science scores (50.2%). In contrast, Silver Creek High School raises concerns, with chronic absenteeism of 42% — three times the state rate — and no test score data available.

The most pressing struggles are in the district's elementary and middle schools. Alturas Elementary School ranks in the 10th percentile with just 29.5% ELA proficiency, and Hailey Elementary School ranks in the 18th percentile. Wood River Middle School ranks in the 20th percentile. Math proficiency is below the state average at every non-charter school, suggesting a systemic issue. Notably, spending does not correlate with outcomes: Hailey Elementary School spends the most ($19,139 per student) yet performs among the lowest, while Syringa Mountain Charter School spends the least and performs the best. The district's greatest opportunity lies in early literacy and math intervention at the elementary and middle school levels.