Ernest Hemingway Steam School

Ernest Hemingway Steam School is a PK–8 school in Ketchum, Idaho, serving 431 students in the Blaine County District. The school consistently outperforms both district and state averages in math, English language arts, and science. In the most recent school year, math proficiency stood at 53.4% (compared to the state's 43.1%), ELA at 58.9% (state: 54.0%), and science at 46.3% (state: 42.7%). However, the school's statewide standing has gradually slipped over the past decade, from the 83rd percentile in 2015–2016 to the 55th percentile today, even as absolute scores have remained steady or improved slightly. This is because many other Idaho schools have been improving at a faster pace.

The school's middle-grade program is a standout. Eighth-grade math proficiency is 68.2% versus the state's 41.2%, and eighth-grade ELA reaches 72.7% versus the state's 54.5%. This is a unique advantage in the area: nearby district schools like Alturas Elementary School and Hailey Elementary School only serve through fifth grade, so Hemingway offers families continuity through the middle grades. Among the three Blaine County elementary schools with recent data, Hemingway is clearly the strongest — for example, all-grade math is 53.4% versus 32.9% at Alturas and 34.3% at Hailey. One relative weak spot is fifth grade, where math proficiency (35.3%) falls below the state average, suggesting a possible transition-year challenge.

Chronic absenteeism has improved dramatically from 27.0% in 2021–2022 to 15.4% most recently, though it remains slightly above the state average of 13.8%. This is the school's clearest non-academic warning sign, especially given that only 23.9% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — far below the 47–53% rates at neighboring Bellevue Elementary School, Hailey, and Alturas elementary schools. The student–teacher ratio is a favorable 11.4 to 1, and per-student spending is lower than district elementary peers. A useful comparison is Syringa Mountain Charter School, a K–8 school in a different district that posts dramatically higher proficiency (74.6% math and 79.7% ELA) with roughly half the per-student spending. That nearby benchmark suggests school culture and instructional approach can matter as much as funding.