Idaho's Graduation Rate Remains Flat, Misses State Goal

The state's 2025 graduation rate stayed at 82.3%, just shy of the 81.6% target.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Idaho's 2025 high school graduation rate remained flat at 82.3%, the same as the previous year, narrowly missing the state's 81.6% goal. Of the 26,484 students who started ninth grade, 21,809 graduated on time, while 4,675 did not. Idaho's graduation rates have historically lagged behind the national average.

Why it matters

Idaho has struggled to improve its graduation rates, which have long fallen below the national average. The stagnation in 2025 comes after the state reached a 10-year high in 2024, raising concerns about the ability to meet its own goals and address disparities among vulnerable student groups.

The details

The adjusted cohort graduation rate method, the national standard, tracks the percentage of first-time ninth graders who earn a regular diploma within four years. This rate is adjusted for students who transfer in and out, though schools can't always track where a student goes. Special education students who stay enrolled past four years also count against a school's graduation rate.

  • Idaho's 2025 graduation rate was 82.3%, the same as the previous year.
  • The state's goal was 81.6% for the 2025 graduation rate.

The players

Idaho

The state where the graduation rate data is from.

National Center for Education Statistics

The organization that provides national graduation rate data, showing Idaho's rate lagging behind the national average.

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The takeaway

Idaho's stagnant graduation rate, just shy of its own goal, highlights the ongoing challenges the state faces in improving educational outcomes and addressing disparities, especially among vulnerable student populations.