Summary:
Cambridge Joint District is a small, two-school district in rural Idaho serving grades PK–12 with a combined enrollment of 156 students. The district holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the top fifth of Idaho districts. Its two schools—Cambridge Elementary School (PK–5) and Cambridge Middle/High School (6–12)—offer very different academic profiles, so parents should look at each school individually rather than assuming a single district-wide experience.
In math, the contrast is stark. Cambridge Elementary is a standout, with 66.7% of students proficient in math—well above the state average of 43.1%—while Cambridge Middle/High School lags at just 32.6% proficiency, more than 10 points below the state. This 34-point gap suggests a challenging transition to secondary math. In ELA, the elementary school trails the state (47.2% vs. 54%), while the middle/high school is closer but still below (51.2%). The secondary school does shine in science (47.8% vs. 42.7% statewide) and its graduation rate of 82.5% exactly matches the state average. Both schools show large year-over-year swings—the middle/high school jumped 17 points in ELA, while the elementary school dropped 16 points—likely because of very small class sizes.
Positive signs across the district include low chronic absenteeism (9.4% at the elementary and 11.1% at the middle/high school, both below the state's 13.8%), low student–teacher ratios (roughly 9:1), and high per-pupil spending (over $17,000 per student). The elementary school achieves strong math results even though 56% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Overall, Cambridge Joint District is a high-performing, well-resourced district, but parents should be aware of the significant math drop at the secondary level and the need to support consistent ELA growth in both schools.
Thank you for your feedback!