The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in Science. The lowest is 67% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Siena Elementary
Siena Elementary sits in Meridian, a suburban city in Idaho's Treasure Valley that has grown from a small dairy farming community into one of the fastest-growing places in the state. Publicly reported accounts describe Meridian as among Idaho's largest cities, with rapid residential and commercial expansion continuing across its suburban layout. The Village at Meridian, a large open-air retail and dining center, serves as the city's primary commercial and social gathering hub, a de facto downtown. The city is car-dependent, with commercial activity spread along major arterials rather than concentrated in a walkable core. Corporate headquarters like Blue Cross of Idaho, Jacksons Food Stores, and Scentsy, along with the Idaho State Police headquarters and academy, anchor the local economy. The West Ada School District, formally known as Joint School District No. 2, is itself a major employer.
Siena Elementary is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, part of the West Ada system. Its enrollment is moderate for an elementary school, with grade-level cohorts that grow slightly from kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population forming the next largest group, followed by smaller numbers of Asian, multiracial, and other students. A small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, lower than what many public elementary schools see. The school does not operate as a charter or magnet school. Data on individualized education programs and English learner services was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports. Title I status was also not reported in the available data.
On Idaho's state assessments, Siena Elementary shows strong results across most grades and subjects. Math proficiency is solid in grades three through five, with the majority of tested students reaching proficiency in each grade. English language arts follows a similar pattern, with most students proficient, though fourth grade sits lower than the surrounding grades. Fifth grade stands out in English language arts, where proficiency reaches a high level. Science, assessed only in fifth grade at this level, also shows most students meeting proficiency. Average scale scores and participation rates were not reported in the available data, and the multi-year trend information was not sufficient to characterize a clear direction over time. No state testing data was available for pre-kindergarten through second grade, which is expected because those grades are not assessed under the state system.
The housing market around Siena Elementary reflects Meridian's broader growth pressures. Home values in the school's zip code sit well above both the state and national benchmarks, and rents are similarly elevated. Estimated monthly mortgage costs exceed typical rent by a meaningful margin, and the price-to-income ratio is high relative to national norms, pointing to a market where buying a home requires substantial income. Recent home value appreciation has outpaced both state and national rates, consistent with the rapid population growth that has defined Meridian in recent years.
The district brief for Joint School District No. 2 did not surface parent-relevant changes of lasting impact, so there is little to report on recent shifts in district policy, programs, or boundaries. A parent interested in upcoming changes would do well to check directly with the district. As an elementary school, Siena does not have a graduation rate or high school level outcomes; those measures apply to later grades.
Siena Elementary fits a family looking for a solidly performing neighborhood school in a fast-growing suburban setting where housing costs run high and the lifestyle is oriented around car travel, commercial corridors, and designed gathering spaces like The Village. Its academic results are a strength, particularly in math and fifth-grade English language arts. The fourth-grade English language arts results are softer, and a parent may want to look into that further with the school. The school's relatively low free-or-reduced-price lunch rate and predominantly white enrollment describe a particular peer environment that families will factor into their own preferences.
See more original research from School Decision →