Harold B Lee Elementary School

Harold B Lee Elementary School serves 373 students in grades PK–5 in Dayton, a small community in southeastern Idaho, and has become one of the region's standout elementary schools. It is part of the West Side Joint District, which ranks 5th out of 101 districts statewide, and Harold B Lee itself currently ranks 45th out of 346 Idaho elementary schools for the 2025–2026 school year—an 87th-percentile finish with a 4-star rating. That rank has climbed steadily from 96th in 2023–2024 to 84th in 2024–2025 to its current position, signaling strong momentum.

Academically, Harold B Lee outperforms its neighbors by wide margins. In 2025–2026 ISAT testing, 67.3% of students scored proficient in math and 70.3% in English language arts, compared to 55.7% and 52.8% at Malad Elementary School, and 48.4% and 53.6% at Oakwood Elementary School. The school also exceeds state averages (43.1% math, 54.0% ELA) by roughly 24 and 16 points, respectively. Grade-level results are consistently strong, though 4th grade shows a slight dip in both subjects, and science (51.8% proficiency in 5th grade) is a comparatively weaker area. Interestingly, the school's ELA proficiency is just below its own district average of 71.4%, while its math scores are well above the district's 59.6%—making math a particular strength.

The school's advantages extend beyond test scores. Chronic absenteeism sits at 9.2%, below the state's 13.8%, though slightly above the district's 7.1%. Harold B Lee also has the lowest poverty rate among nearby schools at 45.6% free/reduced lunch, and it achieves strong results while spending less per student ($6,142) than peers like Oakwood ($7,282) and Malad ($6,990). With a student-teacher ratio of 21.3:1 similar to neighboring schools, Harold B Lee is not relying on smaller classes—it is simply getting strong academic results and providing a solid option for families in Dayton.