Compass Academy ranked No. 1 by U.S. News & World Report
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IDAHO FALLS — Compass Academy has been named the No. 1 high school in the Idaho Falls area by U.S. News & World Report, ranking ahead of 13 other regional high schools.
The recognition is based on six factors, including college readiness, curriculum breadth, state assessment scores, performance among underserved students and graduation rates.
Lisa Armstrong, director of Compass Academy, credited the school’s facilitators, students and families for the achievement.
“We owe much of our success to our facilitators, who create projects with no ceiling and whose probing questions inspire creative students to think critically, take ownership of their learning, and persevere,” Armstrong said.
Compass Academy, part of Idaho Falls School District 91, emphasizes project-based learning, giving students opportunities to work on real-world projects and apply what they learn to practical problems.
The school reports an 81.6% proficiency rate on Idaho’s English Language Arts state assessment, 27 percentage points higher than the state average.
In 2024, every Compass Academy student who took the AP English and AP Government exams earned a passing score. National passing rates for both exams were in the mid-70% range.
“We are so proud to highlight their achievement and to remind our community that a high-rigor, magnet school experience is right in their backyard,” District 91 Superintendent Karla LaOrange said.
Compass Academy is open to students throughout the Idaho Falls area, including those who live outside District 91 boundaries. Students can register at any point during the school year by visiting ifschools.org.