Summary:
Zip code 83661 in Payette, Idaho, contains two high schools: Payette High School (grades 9–12, 319 students) and Payette Academy (grades 6–12, 103 students), both part of the Payette Joint District. Together they serve 422 students, with Payette Academy also covering middle school grades, which complicates direct comparisons.
Payette High School is the stronger academic school. Its 40% ELA proficiency rate far exceeds the district’s 26.7% and Payette Academy’s 14.3%, though it still sits below the state average of 53.9%. It also has outstanding attendance, with only 9.4% chronic absenteeism—better than the district (17.2%) and state (13.8%)—despite a 60.8% free/reduced lunch rate. Historical state rankings have been low (bottom fifth), and per-student spending is $8,017, the only cost data available.
Payette Academy, by contrast, has a chronic absenteeism rate of 44.5%, over four times higher than Payette High, and a 76.7% poverty rate. Despite a lower student-teacher ratio (11.7 vs. 17.2), its ELA proficiency is dramatically lower, suggesting that attendance and socioeconomic challenges outweigh class-size advantages. Interestingly, both schools report identical graduation rates of 82.5%, matching the district and state—likely a reporting artifact. For parents, Payette High School offers a more stable academic environment and stronger attendance, while Payette Academy is a smaller alternative school with high needs, likely benefiting from targeted interventions.
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