Syringa Mountain Charter School

Syringa Mountain Charter School is a small public charter school in Hailey, Idaho, serving 128 students in grades K–8 within the single-school Syringa Mountain School Inc. district. This tiny school is an academic standout: it ranks 82nd out of 346 Idaho schools (76th percentile) and earns 4 stars, while its district ranks 10th out of 101 in Idaho. The local Blaine County District, which runs most neighboring schools, ranks just 47th. In the 2025–2026 school year, Syringa posted ISAT proficiency rates of 74.6% in math and 79.7% in English Language Arts—well above Idaho's state averages of 43.1% and 54.0%.

The gap between Syringa and its geographic neighbors is striking. Alturas Elementary School, located less than half a mile away, posted just 32.9% math and 29.5% ELA proficiency, while Hailey Elementary School reached 34.3% and 42.6%. Even Ernest Hemingway STEAM School, the next strongest local school, trails Syringa by about 21 points in both subjects. Syringa is also the top-ranked school in the area, far ahead of Ernest Hemingway STEAM School (157th), Bellevue Elementary School (165th), Hailey Elementary School (283rd), and Alturas Elementary School (313rd).

What makes these results even more remarkable is that Syringa achieves them with fewer resources. The school spends $7,665 per student—less than half the per-pupil spending at nearby Bellevue Elementary School ($19,961) or Hailey Elementary School ($19,139)—and maintains a higher student-teacher ratio of 14.2. Chronic absenteeism is also low at 9.1%, below the state average of 13.8%. While Syringa's small enrollment means year-to-year scores can swing, its consistent high performance, strong attendance, and efficient operations make it one of the most interesting school success stories in the Hailey area.