Gem Prep: Meridian

Summary:

Gem Prep: Meridian is a public charter school located in Meridian, Idaho, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 454 students. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the state average in academic achievement, particularly in ISAT (Idaho Standards Achievement Test) scores and graduation rates.

Gem Prep: Meridian's academic performance is truly impressive, with proficiency rates in ISAT Math, Science, and English Language Arts significantly higher than the state averages. For example, the school's 3rd grade ISAT Math proficiency rate is 83.7%, compared to the state average of 49.6%. Additionally, Gem Prep: Meridian's overall ISAT English Language Arts proficiency rate is 84.3%, compared to the state average of 53.3%. The school's 100% four-year graduation rate is also significantly higher than the state average. While Gem Prep: Meridian's chronic absenteeism rate has increased in recent years, it remains lower than the state average.

Compared to nearby schools, Gem Prep: Meridian outperforms Nampa Online Virtual Academy and Inspire Virtual Charter School in academic performance and graduation rates. Another Gem Prep school in the area, Gem Prep: Meridian North, also demonstrates strong academic performance. Compass Public Charter School, located closer to Gem Prep: Meridian, has similar high academic performance and a lower chronic absenteeism rate. While Gem Prep: Meridian's spending per student of $8,768 in 2018-2019 is higher than some nearby charter schools, its student-teacher ratio of 20.6 in 2022-2023 is also higher than some of its counterparts.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

2750 Gala Street
Meridian, ID 83642

(208) 917-9150

District: Gem Prep: Meridian LLC

SchoolDigger Rank:
19^th of 301 Idaho Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,768

Student/teacher ratio: 20.0

Number of students: 480

Racial breakdown:

White:

77.7%

Hispanic:

12.3%

Two or more races:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 38.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Gem Prep: Meridian ranks better than 93.7% of elementary schools in Idaho. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.41. (See more...)

Compare Details Gem Prep: Meridian ranks better than 94.5% of middle schools in Idaho. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 93.35. (See more...)

Compare Details Gem Prep: Meridian ranks better than 95% of high schools in Idaho. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.83. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Gem Prep: Meridian who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (77.7%), Hispanic (12.3%), two or more races (3.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 38.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gem Prep: Meridian is 20. (See more...)

Compare Gem Prep: Meridian employs 24 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gem Prep: Meridian is $8,768.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gem Prep: Meridian:

SchoolDigger ranks Gem Prep: Meridian 19^th of 301 Idaho public elementary schools. (See Gem Prep: Meridian in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Gem Prep: Meridian 9^th of 164 Idaho public middle schools. (See Gem Prep: Meridian in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Gem Prep: Meridian 8^th of 159 Idaho public high schools. (See Gem Prep: Meridian in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Gem Prep: Meridian

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	92.41	19^th	301	93.7%

See the entire list of Idaho Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Idaho Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Gem Prep: Meridian

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	93.35	9^th	164	94.5%

See the entire list of Idaho Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Idaho Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Gem Prep: Meridian

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Rank History for all high school students at Gem Prep: Meridian

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	94.83	8^th	159	95.0%

See the entire list of Idaho Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gem Prep: Meridian

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	99.86	2^nd	35	94.3%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Gem Prep: Meridian

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	94.37	4^th	66	93.9%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Gem Prep: Meridian

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	99.10	1^st	66	98.5%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Gem Prep: Meridian

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	99.38	3^rd	55	94.5%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Gem Prep: Meridian

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	96.12	6^th	78	92.3%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Idaho Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Wednesday, October 13, 2021

This was a terrible school. I taught there. Students were on their computers all day, and they were very poorly behaved. Students were sent home all the time for the dumbest stuff.
This school
Is a joke! Don’t waste your time! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Gem Prep: Meridian

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2019	213	2	4	29	2	2	11	263
2020	307	6	5	41	8	3	11	381
2021	376	8	1	50	7	2	22	466
2022	373	6	4	61	4	2	44	494
2023	356	15	9	53	3	4	14	454
2024	373	10	11	59	3	6	18	480

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gem Prep: Meridian

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	263	11.4	23.0	42.6
2020	381	16.5	23.0	36.5
2021	466	19.0	24.5	31.1
2022	494	22.0	22.4	26.1
2023	454	22.0	20.6	30.8
2024	480	24.0	20.0	38.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Gem Prep: Meridian

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	263	11.4	23.0	42.6
2020	381	16.5	23.0	36.5
2021	466	19.0	24.5	31.1
2022	494	22.0	22.4	26.1
2023	454	22.0	20.6	30.8
2024	480	24.0	20.0	38.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Gem Prep: Meridian

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$937 (10.7%)	$7,831 (89.3%)	$8,768

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gem Prep: Meridian

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	263	454	72.6%
African American	2	15	650%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	4	9	125%
Hispanic	29	53	82.8%
Pacific Islander	2	4	100%
White	213	356	67.1%
Two or More Races	11	14	27.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	42.6%	30.8%	11.7%

Schools Near Gem Prep: Meridian

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				ISAT Math (2024)								ISAT Science (2024)			ISAT English Language Arts (2024)							Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISAT Math 3rd Grade	ISAT Math 4th Grade	ISAT Math 5th Grade	ISAT Math 6th Grade	ISAT Math 7th Grade	ISAT Math 8th Grade	ISAT Math End of Course	ISAT Math All Grades	ISAT Science 5th Grade	ISAT Science 8th Grade	ISAT Science All Grades	ISAT English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gem Prep: Meridian	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	2750 Gala Street	Meridian	83642	Ada County	Gem Prep: Meridian LLC	Yes	No	No	Yes	(208) 917-9150	480	24	20.0	38.8%	373 (77.7%)	10 (2.1%)	59 (12.3%)	11 (2.3%)	3 (0.6%)	6 (1.3%)	18 (3.8%)								(n/a)	83.7	68.0		66.6	69.1		60.0	71.8	77.8		66.3		74.0		75.6	83.3		84.3	$8,768	$937	$7,831
Gem Prep: Online School	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2750 East Gala Street	Meridian	83642	Ada County	Gem Prep: Online LLC	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(208) 672-1155	362	16	23.3		305 (84.3%)	1 (0.3%)	43 (11.9%)	3 (0.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)								(n/a)		75.0	75.0	42.8		71.0	61.1	61.2		73.6	73.1				75.0			78.2
Idaho Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1965 South Eagle Road Suite 1	Meridian	83642	Ada County	Idaho Virtual Academy Inc.	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(208) 322-3559	1,541	53	29.0		1,201 (77.9%)	5 (0.3%)	228 (14.8%)	10 (0.6%)	11 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	85 (5.5%)								(n/a)								25.6										43.2	$8,430	$859	$7,571
Virtual School House	Public, Virtual, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1303 East Central Drive	Meridian	83642	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	No	Yes	No	(208) 350-5079	454	18	24.7		334 (73.6%)	8 (1.8%)	76 (16.7%)	7 (1.5%)	6 (1.3%)	5 (1.1%)	18 (4.0%)								(n/a)								9.8			26.1							52.2
Project Impact Stem Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1422 S Tech Lane	Meridian	83642	Ada County	Project Impact Stem Academy Inc.	Yes	No	No	Yes	(208) 576-4811	281	18	15.6		246 (87.5%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (11.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)								(n/a)	59.2				45.8			45.8			49.1			48.0		70.8	40.9	52.5	$9,449	$577	$8,872
Inspire Virtual Charter School	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	9550 Bethel Court	Boise	83709	Ada County	Inspire Academics Inc.	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(208) 322-4002	1,150	35	33.0		872 (75.8%)	7 (0.6%)	193 (16.8%)	9 (0.8%)	13 (1.1%)	2 (0.2%)	54 (4.7%)								(n/a)																			$6,932	$401	$6,531
Compass Public Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	4667 West Aviator Street	Meridian	83642	Ada County	Compass Public Charter School Inc.	Yes	No	No	Yes	(208) 888-5847	1,264	65	19.5	14.9%	1,016 (80.4%)	16 (1.3%)	128 (10.1%)	38 (3.0%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	61 (4.8%)								(n/a)	76.2	69.3			68.7	55.4	80.0	69.8	63.0		65.2		73.8	86.4	79.8	82.2	76.6	80.8	$5,937	$683	$5,254
Gem Prep: Meridian North	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-10	5390 North McDermott Road	Meridian	83646	Ada County	Gem Prep: Meridian North LLC	Yes	No	No	Yes	(208) 917-9150	475	23	20.6		356 (74.9%)	5 (1.1%)	83 (17.5%)	5 (1.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.1%)								(n/a)	75.0		59.2					64.6			47.3	65.4		63.3	76.6	87.0		74.5
Treasure Valley Math/Science	Public, Magnet, Alternative	4-12	6801 North Gary Lane	Boise	83714	Ada County	Boise Independent District	No	Yes	No	No	(208) 854-6800	6	10	.5		6 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
North Star Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	839 North Linder Road	Eagle	83616	Ada County	North Star Charter School Inc.	Yes	No	No	No	(208) 939-9600	1,018	48	21.4		816 (80.2%)	2 (0.2%)	111 (10.9%)	27 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	58 (5.7%)								(n/a)	85.7	79.8	76.8	62.9	72.2	69.2	84.8	74.5	71.9		74.0	85.7		87.8	74.3	84.3	75.5	82.4	$6,410	$139	$6,271

Frequently Asked Questions about Gem Prep: Meridian

What district is Gem Prep: Meridian in?

Gem Prep: Meridian LLC

What is the racial makeup of Gem Prep: Meridian?

Students at Gem Prep: Meridian are 78% White, 12% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 2% African American, 1% Pacific Islander.

Is Gem Prep: Meridian a good school?

Yes. Gem Prep: Meridian ranks in the top 6.3% of Idaho alternative schools.

How many students attend Gem Prep: Meridian?

In the 2023-24 school year, 480 students attended Gem Prep: Meridian.

Rate Gem Prep: Meridian!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Idaho Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.