The top reported proficiency rate is 94% in English language arts. The lowest is 82% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Coeur D'alene Charter Academy Inc.
Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy is a tuition-free public charter school serving grades six through twelve, operating as its own district under a renewed charter agreement with the Idaho Public Charter School Commission. The school draws students from the Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, and Lakeland school districts. Its single school site carries the academy's name and serves the full grade span.
The academic profile, drawn from the most recent state ISAT results, is strong. In math, proficiency rates across the middle grades are very high, with the large majority of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders meeting or exceeding state standards. English language arts results are similarly strong in sixth and seventh grade. Eighth-grade ELA was reported as a range rather than a single point estimate, which makes a precise read harder; a parent may want to ask the school for clarification on that year's result. In eighth-grade science, most tested students were proficient. These results reflect well on the school's core instruction and place it among the stronger performers on state measures.
State assessment data was not available for the high school grades in the information provided. Idaho typically tests tenth graders, so this gap may reflect how the data was reported or collected rather than a lack of testing. A parent with a high-school-aged student may want to ask the school directly for its most recent high school ISAT results.
No graduation rate was provided in the available data. For a school serving through twelfth grade, this is a metric many families will want, and the school's office or the state report card would be the place to find it.
Publicly reported recognition adds context. In the most recent U.S. News rankings, the school was named the top-ranked school in Idaho and placed within the top portion of high schools nationally, according to a school profile document. This recognition speaks to the school's college-preparatory orientation and its appeal to families seeking a rigorous academic program without tuition.
The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller Hispanic population and students of two or more races, along with very small numbers of Asian and American Indian or Alaska Native students. The school's enrollment thins considerably from the middle grades into high school, with far fewer students in the upper grades than in sixth and seventh. This is a pattern sometimes seen in charter schools where students leave for other high school options or where the program grows tighter in later grades. A parent considering the high school years would benefit from asking how the school supports its smaller upper-grade cohorts and whether course offerings remain broad enough at that level.
Several pieces of information that families often weigh were not available. Free or reduced-price lunch data was not reported, so the economic profile of the student body is unclear from this source. IEP and English learner counts were also missing. No staffing, course access, discipline, or attendance data was provided. No housing or community context was available, and no program offerings beyond the general college-preparatory description were detailed. The school's website or a direct conversation with the administration would help fill these gaps.
What the available data does show is a charter school with strong middle-grade academic outcomes, a regional draw across North Idaho districts, and public recognition for its academic program. For a family weighing a tuition-free college-preparatory option in the Coeur d'Alene area, the academic results are a clear strength. The open questions about high school assessment data, graduation rate, and the narrower enrollment in upper grades are worth pursuing before committing to the later years here.
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