McCall-Donnelly Joint School District

McCall-Donnelly Joint School District is a five-school district in Idaho serving 1,374 students across elementary, middle, and high school levels, and it ranks 4th out of 101 districts statewide, earning 5 stars. The district overall is a high performer, with proficiency rates in math, science, and ELA well above Idaho state averages. Notably, Barbara R Morgan Elementary is the largest elementary school at 411 students, while McCall-Donnelly High School is the largest school overall with 447 students and also posts the district's best attendance, with only 8.3% chronic absenteeism.

Among standout schools, Payette Lakes Middle School recently ranked in the 93rd percentile with 5 stars, though its math and ELA proficiency have dipped slightly year over year, and 8th-grade math is a notable trouble spot at 47.6% proficiency. Barbara R Morgan Elementary consistently earns 4 stars with strong math and science scores, but 5th-grade math lags at 55.6%. Donnelly Elementary is a smaller school that outperforms expectations given its higher free/reduced lunch rate of 37.18%, achieving solid math and ELA proficiency, though its 5th-grade science is the lowest in the district at 51.9%. At the high school level, McCall-Donnelly High School excels in ELA at 86.9% but shows a relative weakness in math at 46.7%, just above the state average.

One of the district's biggest concerns is chronic absenteeism, which affects every school except the main high school. Barbara R Morgan Elementary (27.3%), Donnelly Elementary (27.4%), and Payette Lakes Middle School (25.6%) all exceed the state rate of 13.8%, and Heartland High School is the highest-need campus with 44.4% chronic absenteeism and a 55.17% free/reduced lunch rate. That small alternative high school of just 29 students receives the highest per-student spending at $13,591 with a 7.2:1 student-teacher ratio, reflecting intensive support. Overall, families can expect a strong, high-performing school district with excellent ELA and science outcomes, but should pay attention to attendance challenges and a few specific math trouble spots by grade level.