New Horizon Magnet School

New Horizon Magnet School is a PK–8 school in Nampa, ID, serving 644 students in the Nampa School District, where about 72% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has a long history of low state rankings, holding a 1-star rating in nearly every year since 2014-2015, with its most recent rank placing it in the bottom 14% of Idaho elementary schools.

Academically, New Horizon's proficiency rates are below state averages in math (34.6% vs. 43.1%), English language arts (34.9% vs. 54.0%), and science (27.8% vs. 42.7%). While its math scores are slightly above the district average, its ELA and science scores lag behind. A particularly concerning trend is the sharp decline in math proficiency after 5th grade, dropping from 37.3% in 5th grade to just 18.6% in 6th grade. This middle-school weakness is unique among nearby schools, most of which only serve through 5th grade. The school also struggles with chronic absenteeism, which, while improving to 18.4% in 2025-2026, remains higher than the state average of 13.8% and notably higher than Park Ridge Elementary, a school sharing nearly the same campus (13.1%).

Despite its magnet designation, New Horizon is outperformed by several traditional public schools in the area, such as Central Elementary and Roosevelt Elementary School, in both ELA and math. The contrast with Legacy Charter School, located only 2.74 miles away, is stark: Legacy boasts proficiency rates of 73.7% in math and 83.4% in ELA, but serves a much less economically disadvantaged population. Subgroup performance at New Horizon is also a major concern, with female students ranking in the 1st percentile statewide. While the school has shown some improvement in math over the past few years, its lower per-student funding compared to nearby schools and its significant challenges in literacy, science, and middle school suggest that resources and the transition to middle school are critical areas needing attention.