Canyon Elementary School

Canyon Elementary School is a small, rural elementary school in Cataldo, Idaho, serving 141 students in grades PK–5 as part of the Kellogg Joint District. For the 2025–26 school year, it ranks 131st out of 346 Idaho elementary schools (62nd percentile, 3 stars)—a standout within a district ranked in the bottom third statewide. On the 2025–26 ISAT exams, Canyon Elementary School posted 50% proficiency in math (compared to the district's 30.6% and the state's 43.1%) and 60% proficiency in English Language Arts (compared to the district's 42.5% and the state's 54%). Fifth-grade science proficiency was also strong at 52.9%, above both district and state averages.

Canyon also compares favorably to nearby schools in the same district. Its same-district neighbor, Pinehurst Elementary School, located just 8.6 miles away, posted significantly lower proficiency rates (math 34.5%, ELA 43%) and a state ranking in the 20th percentile. Canyon's chronic absenteeism rate has declined from 20% in 2021–22 to 15.3% in 2023–24, nearly half the Kellogg Joint District's rate of 27.5% and well below the 28.9% rate at Pinehurst Elementary School. The school serves a moderate-poverty population, with 30.5% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch—lower than many nearby schools, including Heyburn Elementary School (54.9%), Winton Elementary School (56.5%), and Bryan Elementary School (52.3%).

Canyon's biggest strength is its consistent outperformance of district and state averages, especially in early elementary math: 64% of third graders were proficient in math, compared to the state's 50.9%. However, math proficiency dips in upper grades (42.9% in 4th grade and 41.2% in 5th grade), suggesting the school excels early but struggles to maintain that edge. ELA remains above the state at every grade level. Canyon's rank has climbed dramatically from the 3rd percentile in 2009–10 to the 62nd percentile today, and it holds its own against schools in the Coeur D'Alene District, though it trails top performers like Dalton Elementary School, Sorensen Magnet School Of The Arts And Humanities, and Winton Elementary School. With a high student-teacher ratio of 23.7, Canyon operates efficiently, but the small enrollment of 141 means year-to-year results can swing noticeably.