Kootenai Bridge Academy

Kootenai Bridge Academy is a public high school in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, serving 347 students in grades 9–12 as part of its own independent district, The Kootenai Bridge Academy Inc. This school has experienced a dramatic fall from its past: it was ranked 3rd out of 169 Idaho schools in 2009–2010, but now sits near the bottom of state rankings (103rd of 122 in 2025–2026), with its district ranked 89th of 101 in Idaho.

The school operates with an extremely high ratio of 53.3 students per teacher, compared with roughly 19–23 at nearby traditional high schools like Coeur D'Alene High School and Lake City High School. Graduation rates have hovered around 43–49% from 2020–2024, far below the state average of roughly 80%. Chronic absenteeism spiked to 50.8% in 2025–2026 — the highest in the surrounding area, exceeding alternative schools like Elevate Academy North (38.9%) and Mountainview Alternative High School (28.8%), and dramatically above the 0.5–1.2% rates at Coeur d'Alene High School and Lake City High School.

Academically, only 9.4% of Kootenai Bridge Academy students are proficient in math, compared with 33.1% statewide and 49.4% at Coeur d'Alene High School. English language arts (46.8%) and science (34.3%) proficiency are closer to state averages and actually exceed several peer alternative schools such as New Vision High School and Venture Academy. The school spends just $4,036 per student — less than half of what Lakeland Senior High School spends — and this tight budget, combined with the high student-to-teacher ratio, means limited individualized attention. For parents considering this option, Kootenai Bridge Academy offers some relative strengths in literacy and science compared with other alternative programs, but faces major challenges in math proficiency, attendance, and graduation outcomes.