Jefferson County Joint District

Jefferson County Joint District serves about 6,493 students across 10 schools in southeastern Idaho, including six elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools. The district earns an overall 3-star rating and ranks 39th out of 101 Idaho districts (61st percentile), placing it in the upper-middle range statewide. However, that average masks a wide gap between the district's strongest and weakest schools, ranging from the 80th percentile down to the 23rd percentile.

At the top, Rigby Middle School is the district's standout performer, ranked 35th of 174 Idaho middle schools (80th percentile, 4 stars) with strong math (56.6%), ELA (66.0%), and science (55.0%) proficiency and low chronic absenteeism at 9.1%. Rigby High School is also a strong 4-star school (77th percentile) with the lowest chronic absenteeism in the district (4.2%) and the highest student-teacher ratio (23.6:1), proving that larger classes don't necessarily hurt outcomes. Cottonwood Elementary is the district's most improved school, jumping from the 41st percentile to the 69th percentile, with ELA proficiency rising from 47.7% to 60.2%. Among middle schools, Farnsworth Middle School is solid overall (65th percentile), and its 8th graders actually outperform Rigby Middle's 8th graders, though its 6th and 7th graders lag behind.

At the other end, Jefferson High School is a serious concern: chronic absenteeism is 50.5% — about 12 times higher than Rigby High — science proficiency is just 15.8%, and only 99 students are enrolled. Among elementary schools, Roberts Elementary (23rd percentile) and Harwood Elementary (26th percentile for three straight years) are the lowest performers, with Midway Elementary also below average at the 33rd percentile. All six elementary schools exceed the state average for chronic absenteeism, and higher poverty rates generally align with lower performance. Notably, Roberts Elementary spends the most per student ($7,566) with a low student-teacher ratio of 14.8:1, yet still ranks last, suggesting attendance and targeted instruction matter more than spending alone. Families should weigh these wide internal gaps carefully when choosing a school.