New Plymouth Middle School

New Plymouth Middle School serves 225 students in grades 6–8 in the small community of New Plymouth, Idaho, and it has built a reputation as one of the state's highest-performing small middle schools. The school consistently earns 4-star ratings and ranked in the 78th percentile statewide (39th of 174 middle schools) in 2025–26, following even stronger finishes in prior years. It clearly outperforms its own New Plymouth District, with math proficiency of 56.8% versus a district average of 47.3% and ELA proficiency of 63.1% versus a district average of 55.7%.

Academically, New Plymouth Middle School leads every nearby middle school in both math and English language arts. Its math proficiency of 56.8% and ELA proficiency of 63.1% on the 2025–26 ISAT exceed the state averages of 43.1% and 54%, respectively. By comparison, Middleton Middle School posted 46.4% math and 56.1% ELA, Parma Middle School reached 43.7% and 49.8%, and Fruitland Middle School saw just 36.5% and 54.0%. The gap is even wider compared to McCain Middle School (21.7% math, 30.8% ELA) and Wilder Middle School (17.3% math, 25.5% ELA). The school especially shines in 8th grade, where math proficiency jumps to 70.5% and science proficiency reaches 56.4%, both well above state averages. Science has been a standout subject, with proficiency rates of 65.1% and 69.9% in recent years, far outpacing neighboring schools.

What makes this success even more notable is that New Plymouth Middle School achieves these results while spending less per student than any of its neighbors — $5,435 per student compared to more than $6,700 at most surrounding schools. The school's free/reduced lunch rate is 37.33%, the second-lowest among nearby schools, which may contribute to its academic advantage. One area for improvement is chronic absenteeism, at 16.5% — above the state average of 13.8% but a major improvement from 27.9% the previous year. Given the school's consistent, decade-long record of high achievement, reducing absenteeism could be the biggest opportunity for further growth.