Jefferson County Joint District, ID

Original Research by School Decision on Jefferson County Joint District

Jefferson County Joint District serves a stretch of eastern Idaho across several small communities, with Rigby appearing as the largest anchor based on the housing data. The district spans from prekindergarten through twelfth grade and operates a dozen schools: six elementary buildings, two middle schools, two high schools, an early childhood center, and a virtual academy. That spread gives families a conventional pathway from early grades through graduation, with a couple of choices along the way. Two middle schools mean students are not all funneled through a single building, and the presence of both a traditional high school and Jefferson High School suggests some option for older students. The virtual academy adds a remote learning path that may appeal to families wanting flexibility.

The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic minority and very small representation from other racial and ethnic groups. The district's free-or-reduced-price lunch rate was not reported, and data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was also missing, so the picture of economic and special-population composition is incomplete. A parent wanting to understand how the district supports lower-income families or students with specialized needs would need to ask the district directly.

On Idaho's ISAT, the district shows a mixed academic profile. In English language arts, proficiency starts modestly in third grade and climbs steadily through the upper elementary and middle grades, reaching a solid level by seventh and eighth grade. That upward arc through the middle grades is a genuine strength and suggests the district's ELA instruction gains traction as students move toward high school. Math tells a less consistent story. Proficiency holds at a moderate level in most grades but dips noticeably in sixth grade before recovering in seventh and eighth. Science, tested only in fifth and eighth grade, sits at a moderate level in both. Average scale scores were not available, so the proficiency rates are the main window into how students are doing. No multi-year trend data was usable beyond the current year, so it is hard to say whether these results are improving or slipping over time.

Several pieces a parent might want were absent from the available data. No graduation rate was provided, which is a notable gap for a district serving through twelfth grade. No information on advanced coursework, career-technical programs, dual-credit opportunities, or extracurricular offerings was included. Discipline data, attendance figures, and staffing ratios were also missing. The district brief search found no evidence of recent property-tax shifts, curriculum changes, bond referenda, or other parent-relevant developments meeting a lasting-impact threshold, so there is little to report on recent governance or policy direction.

Housing in the district's zip codes sits below the Idaho state benchmark, and rents run well below what a mortgage would cost at current rates, making renting comparatively accessible. Home values vary across the district's communities, with Rigby on the higher end and the Idaho Falls-adjacent areas on the lower end. Values have been rising modestly year over year. For a family considering the area, the housing market is relatively approachable by Idaho standards, though mortgage costs at current interest rates remain a stretch for many households.

Taken together, Jefferson County Joint District is a mid-sized, growing-area district with a conventional school structure and some added options like a virtual academy. Its ELA results build momentum through the middle grades, while math is steady but uneven, with sixth grade standing out as a point a parent may want to look into further with the school. The missing graduation rate, program details, and special-population data mean a fuller picture will require going directly to the district for answers.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

6,706

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 11%

Black 0%

White 85%

Asian 0%

Two+ 3%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

Schools in this District

12 schools are officially reported under this district.

MIDWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

RIGBY HIGH SCHOOL

ROBERTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL

HARWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SOUTH FORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

RIGBY MIDDLE SCHOOL

JEFFERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT 251 EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

COTTONWOOD ELEMENTARY

FARNSWORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL

RIGBY VIRTUAL ACADEMY

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

52%

Grade 3

54%

Grade 4

46%

Grade 5

39%

Grade 6

50%

Grade 7

52%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

41%

Grade 3

44%

Grade 4

53%

Grade 5

60%

Grade 6

65%

Grade 7

65%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

44%

Grade 5

49%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$434,110

Year-over-year change+3.7%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$366K to $490K

vs. state typical0.91x

vs. national typical1.18x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
83444	Roberts	$412K	+4.3%	55.3%
83442	Rigby	$490K	+2.0%	27.3%
83434	Menan	$428K	+4.9%	11.4%
83431	Lewisville	$402K	+4.9%	4.4%
83402	Idaho Falls	$366K	+1.3%	1.5%
83401	Idaho Falls	$405K	+0.1%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,344/mo

Year-over-year change+1.2%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$1,340 to $1,412/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
83442	Rigby	$1,344	—	27.3%
83402	Idaho Falls	$1,340	+1.2%	1.5%
83401	Idaho Falls	$1,412	+0.8%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,191/mo

Home price / national median income5.2x

Annual rent / national median income19.3%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$846/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$477,506 (+1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.