Project Impact Stem Academy

Q: Is Project Impact Stem Academy a good school?

Project Impact Stem Academy ranks 133 rd of 301 Idaho alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Project Impact Stem Academy is a public charter school located in Meridian, Idaho that serves grades K-12 with a student population of 252 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school has a predominantly White student body, with smaller percentages of Hispanic, African American, Asian, and Pacific Islander students.

While Project Impact Stem Academy has seen fluctuations in its 4-year graduation rate, ranging from 0% in 2020-2021 to 83.3% in 2021-2022 and 66.7% in 2022-2023, this is an area of concern and an opportunity for improvement compared to nearby charter schools like North Star Charter School (77.8% in 2022-2023) and Idaho Arts Charter School (83.6% in 2022-2023). Additionally, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 4% in 2020-2021 to 30.2% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the chronic absenteeism rates of nearby schools like Compass Public Charter School (4.3%) and Gem Prep: Meridian (10.9%).

Academically, Project Impact Stem Academy's performance, as measured by ISAT proficiency rates, is generally on par with or slightly above the state averages in most subject areas, but lags behind some of the higher-performing nearby charter schools, such as North Star Charter School, Gem Prep: Meridian, and Compass Public Charter School, which have significantly higher proficiency rates in math, science, and English language arts. However, the school's relatively low student-teacher ratio (14.1 in 2022-2023) and higher spending per student ($9,449 in 2018-2019) compared to some nearby charter schools may be areas of strength.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

1422 S Tech Lane
Meridian, ID 83642

(208) 576-4811

District: Project Impact Stem Academy Inc.

SchoolDigger Rank:
133^rd of 301 Idaho Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,449

Student/teacher ratio: 15.6

Number of students: 281

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.5%

Hispanic:

11.4%

Two or more races:

0.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.3%

See top rated Idaho elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Project Impact Stem Academy ranks better than 55.8% of elementary schools in Idaho. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.72. (See more...)

Compare Details Project Impact Stem Academy ranks better than 62.8% of middle schools in Idaho. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.43. (See more...)

Compare Details Project Impact Stem Academy ranks better than 57.9% of high schools in Idaho. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.26. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Project Impact Stem Academy 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 (87.5%), Hispanic (11.4%), two or more races (0.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Project Impact Stem Academy is 15.6. (See more...)

Compare Project Impact Stem Academy employs 17.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Project Impact Stem Academy is $9,449.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Project Impact Stem Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Project Impact Stem Academy 133^rd of 301 Idaho public elementary schools. (See Project Impact Stem Academy in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Project Impact Stem Academy 61^st of 164 Idaho public middle schools. (See Project Impact Stem Academy in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Project Impact Stem Academy 67^th of 159 Idaho public high schools. (See Project Impact Stem Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Project Impact Stem Academy.

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Rank History for Project Impact Stem Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	53.72	133^rd	301	55.8%

See the entire list of Idaho Alternative School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Project Impact Stem Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	53.43	61^st	164	62.8%

See the entire list of Idaho Alternative School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Project Impact Stem Academy

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Rank History for all high school students at Project Impact Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	56.26	67^th	159	57.9%

See the entire list of Idaho Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Project Impact Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	61.34	18^th	35	48.6%

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

Rank History for high school Female students at Project Impact Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	49.90	42^nd	66	36.4%

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

Rank History for high school Male students at Project Impact Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	47.68	44^th	66	33.3%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Alternative Schools for Male 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: 1.5)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, May 22, 2021

We have several children at PiSTEM and we will not be returning for the next school year. I do not feel the school leaders do enough to protect our kids from other abusive children. When one of our children complained their teacher wasn't teaching the teacher changed the work to something that was from several grade levels below them. We wanted or kids to be challenged there and at most we were challenged with patience. This school looked good at first but quickly soured. Close Quote

by a student
Tuesday, June 18, 2019

This school is terrible! The working environment is very small which means that it is also noisy. I know that in the 7th and 9th grade building none of the learning spaces have doors so it is hard to concentrate when you have 9th graders reading out loud in ELA and 7th graders taking a math test. The school doesn't even have electives, after school activities, or even a lunch break. In the 7th and 9th building the lunch time varies from what the teachers feel like and after lunch( again, whenever the teachers feel like teaching again) we go straight to learning, no recess or anything. If I could rate this school something lower than a 1 I would. I moved out of this school briefly after the first halve along with 3 other people who didn't like the school either. This school is loosing many people because of the schools issues. The school doesn't have a cafeteria, a library, or anything that comes to mind when you think of a well managed school. At this school, we use a program called summit learning. This program has articles to read to get you ready for the tests it makes you take. It also has assignments the teachers put on there. This program is not helpful because rather than having the teacher talk to the students about it, you just read and that can be hard sometimes. Finally, lets talk about math. My math teacher at this school literally has a answer key she puts on her desk for the students! I don't think this is okay because the students stop trying and start copying. I know it is normal for schools to have room for improvement but this one has to much room. I think that any school would have better learning abilities available than this one. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Project Impact Stem Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2019	231	0	3	0	0	0	0	234
2020	190	3	0	20	0	0	0	213
2021	174	3	0	20	0	2	2	201
2022	205	2	0	20	1	2	0	230
2023	221	3	2	25	0	1	0	252
2024	246	0	1	32	0	0	2	281

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 Project Impact Stem Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	234	11.5	20.3	1.3
2020	213	14.4	14.7	1.4
2021	201	14.7	13.6	39.3
2022	230	17.2	13.3	n/a
2023	252	17.7	14.1	n/a
2024	281	17.9	15.6	n/a

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 Project Impact Stem Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	234	11.5	20.3	1.3
2020	213	14.4	14.7	1.4
2021	201	14.7	13.6	39.3
2022	230	17.2	13.3	n/a
2023	252	17.7	14.1	n/a
2024	281	17.9	15.6	n/a

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 Project Impact Stem Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$577 (6.1%)	$8,872 (93.9%)	$9,449

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Project Impact Stem Academy

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	234	252	7.7%
African American	0	3
American Indian	0	0
Asian	3	2	33.3%
Hispanic	0	25
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	231	221	4.3%
Two or More Races	0	0

Schools Near Project Impact Stem Academy

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 End of Course	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 End of Course	ISAT English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Nampa Online Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	PK, KG-12	3313 Parkridge Drive	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Nampa School District	No	No	Yes	No	(208) 468-2808	294	20	14.8		164 (55.8%)	0 (0.0%)	114 (38.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (5.1%)								(n/a)								8.8		14.3		17.2					23.5	12.3	44.0	26.8
Idaho Arts Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1220 5th Street North	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Idaho Arts Charter School Inc.	Yes	No	No	Yes	(208) 463-4324	1,369	74	18.5	36.2%	884 (64.6%)	12 (0.9%)	386 (28.2%)	8 (0.6%)	3 (0.2%)	7 (0.5%)	69 (5.0%)								(n/a)	45.4	42.7	32.2	35.8	36.2	34.5	43.1	38.3	45.0	41.8	57.6	46.6	42.8	49.5	53.8	48.8	53.4	56.9	72.8	52.7

Frequently Asked Questions about Project Impact Stem Academy

What district is Project Impact Stem Academy in?

Project Impact Stem Academy Inc.

Is Project Impact Stem Academy a good school?

Project Impact Stem Academy ranks 133^rd of 301 Idaho alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Project Impact Stem Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 281 students attended Project Impact Stem Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Project Impact Stem Academy?

Students at Project Impact Stem Academy are 88% White, 11% Hispanic.

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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.