Summary:
Melba Joint District in Idaho serves 824 students across just two schools: Melba Elementary School (grades PK–6) and Melba High School (grades 7–12), with no separate middle school. Overall, the district ranks in the 31st percentile statewide with a 2-star rating, but that average hides a stark split between a strong elementary school and a struggling secondary school.
Melba Elementary School is the clear academic leader, especially in math: 54.4% of students are proficient versus 43.1% statewide, and it beats the state at every grade level from 3rd to 6th. It also has a 51st-percentile ranking and a 3-star rating. In contrast, Melba High School ranks in the 30th percentile with just 2 stars. Its math proficiency (31%) and science proficiency (20.3%) are well below state averages, and the middle grades (7–8) within the high school are particularly weak — 8th grade science proficiency is only 9.7%, a 33-point gap from the state. The high school does match the state graduation rate (82.5%) and has excellent attendance (6.7% chronic absenteeism vs. 13.8% statewide).
Attendance is a bright spot for both schools, near 7% chronic absenteeism, so learning loss is not a matter of kids missing school. Elementary ELA is inconsistent, with a strong 4th grade (66.1% proficient) but a weak 3rd grade (38.3%). Science is the district’s biggest weakness across all grade levels. Interestingly, the high school spends more per student ($8,218 vs. $6,750) yet gets far worse results, suggesting the middle-grade transition is the critical problem. For parents, the takeaway is clear: Melba Elementary is a solid choice, but the secondary school needs significant support in science and math, especially during the 7th and 8th grade years.
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