Cambridge Elementary School

Cambridge Elementary School is a small rural school in Cambridge, Idaho, serving 75 students in grades PK–5 as part of the Cambridge Joint District. The school earned a 3-star rating for 2025–2026, ranking 116th out of 346 Idaho elementary schools, while its district ranks 19th out of 101 districts statewide.

Academically, Cambridge is a clear math standout: 66.7% of students scored proficient in math, well above the state average of 43.1%. English Language Arts is the weaker subject, with 47.2% proficiency versus the state's 54.0%, though this follows a much stronger 63.6% showing the prior year—a swing likely influenced by the small student body. Compared with Council Elementary School, about 16 miles away, Cambridge outperforms it in every reported subject by wide margins: math proficiency is 30 points higher, ELA is 22.5 points higher, and 5th-grade science is 34 points higher. Notably, Cambridge achieves these results while serving a higher percentage of low-income students (56% free/reduced-price lunch) than Council (42.4%).

Cambridge also stands out for its resources and attendance. The school has a student–teacher ratio of 9.3, less than half of Council's 19.5, and spends approximately $21,265 per student. Chronic absenteeism has improved dramatically, falling from 26.7% in 2023–2024 to 9.4% in 2025–2026, now better than the state average of 13.8%. Because enrollment is just 75 students, year-to-year rankings and proficiency rates can shift with only a few students, so parents should view annual changes with some perspective. Overall, Cambridge combines strong math achievement, improving attendance, and small class sizes, making it a solid choice for families in the area.