St Maries Middle School

St Maries Middle School is a small rural school in Saint Maries, Idaho, serving 189 students in grades 6 through 8 as part of the St Maries Joint District. The school serves a moderately high-poverty population: the free/reduced lunch rate was 50.3% in 2024-2025, up from 41.9% the previous year and 36.0% in 2022-2023. Chronic absenteeism is a significant concern, with 32.2% of students chronically absent in 2024-2025 — more than double the state rate of 14.6%.

Academically, the school has seen a notable decline. In 2025-2026, St Maries Middle School ranked 134th out of 174 Idaho middle schools (23rd percentile, 1 star), down from 89th of 166 schools the prior year and 77th of 164 in 2023-2024. The school was once a consistent 4-star performer, ranking in the 83rd percentile in 2009-2010 and 81st percentile in 2012-2013. In 2025-2026, math proficiency was 21.3% versus the state's 43.1%, while ELA proficiency was 42.0% versus the state's 56.8%. Compared with nearby Lakeside Middle School, St Maries is in a stronger position — Lakeside posted 10.6% math proficiency and 22.7% ELA proficiency, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 55.2%.

There are a few bright spots. In 2025-2026, 7th graders posted 58.3% ELA proficiency, above the state average of 56.8%. And in 2024-2025, the school's all-grades ELA proficiency was 54.8%, essentially tied with the state's 53.9%. That said, the sharp drop in test scores between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 — math falling from 36.1% to 21.3% and science from 50.8% to 29.6% — highlights how volatile outcomes can be with a small student body and rising poverty. St Maries spends $9,634 per student versus $5,789 at Lakeside, yet has a higher student-teacher ratio (17.1 versus 9.5). The school's scores closely mirror the St Maries Joint District averages, suggesting broader community and attendance factors shape outcomes more than spending or class size alone.