Best High Schools in Zip Code 83638

In zip code 83638 (McCall, Idaho), two high schools serve students in grades 9-12 within the McCall-Donnelly Joint School District. These schools could hardly be more different: McCall-Donnelly High School is a 447-student comprehensive school with strong academics, while Heartland High School is a tiny 29-student alternative-style program serving a much higher-need population. The district itself is highly rated statewide, ranking 4th out of 101 districts with a 5-star rating, but these two schools show very different student experiences.

McCall-Donnelly is clearly the academic flagship. Its English Language Arts proficiency is exceptional at 86.9%, far above the state average of 53.9%, and science proficiency is also strong at 67.6% versus the state’s 42.6%. Math is its relative weak spot at 46.7%—just above the state average but well below the district’s 62.8% math proficiency. The school historically ranked in the top 10 of Idaho high schools with 5 stars, but its most recent ranking dropped to 58th of 159 (3 stars), a notable decline worth watching. Heartland, by contrast, has no reported test scores, likely because it focuses on credit recovery or alternative pathways. It serves a population with 55.17% free/reduced-price lunch eligibility, more than 2.5 times the rate at McCall-Donnelly (21.25%), and maintains a low 7.2:1 student-to-teacher ratio to provide intensive support.

The most striking concern is chronic absenteeism: Heartland’s rate is 44.4%, meaning nearly half its students are chronically absent—over three times the state average of 13.8% and more than five times McCall-Donnelly’s 8.3%. For such a small school, that represents about 13 students, enough to seriously impact outcomes. Both schools report the exact same 82.5% graduation rate, which exactly matches the state average—a suspicious figure given the vastly different demographics, so treat it with caution. Overall, McCall-Donnelly offers strong academics with a clear math gap, while Heartland serves a vulnerable population with serious attendance challenges. Aggregate district success masks these internal disparities, and parents should consider each school’s unique profile carefully.