West Side Senior High School

West Side Senior High School in Dayton, Idaho, is a small rural high school serving 248 students in grades 9–12 in southeastern Idaho, near Preston and Malad City. A part of the West Side Joint District — ranked #5 out of 101 Idaho districts with a 5-star rating — the school itself is ranked #12 out of 122 Idaho high schools for the 2025–2026 school year, placing it in the 90th percentile.

The school's academic results stand well above state averages. On the 2025–2026 ISAT exams, 81.1% of students were proficient in English language arts and 66.0% in science, compared to state averages of 61.3% and 41.2%. That science performance tops nearby Malad Senior High School (59.5%) and Preston High School (46.5%). Attendance is another strength: the chronic absenteeism rate is just 2.8% — far below the 13.8% statewide average and well under Malad's 13.4% and Franklin County High School's 11.3%. Graduation rates have also been excellent, with a perfect 100% in 2023–2024 and rates above 94% in the prior three years; the reported 82.5% figure for 2024–2025 appears to be a statewide data artifact shared by all schools rather than a real decline.

The school achieves these results while spending a relatively modest $8,254 per student — less than Malad Senior High School ($9,864) and Franklin County High School ($9,420), though more than Preston High School ($6,117). About 38.7% of its students qualify for free or reduced lunch, a rate higher than Malad (31.4%) and Preston (34.5%) but lower than Franklin County (53.5%). Math is the area to watch, with proficiency fluctuating between 42.6% and 54.7% in recent years and hovering at or slightly above the state average. With a strong district foundation, excellent attendance, and top-tier ELA and science results, West Side offers families a supportive rural environment with consistently strong outcomes.