Independence Alternative High School

Summary:

Independence Alternative High School is a public high school located in Blackfoot, Idaho, serving grades 7-12 with a total enrollment of 169 students. The school is part of the Blackfoot District, which is ranked 46 out of 56 districts in Idaho and is rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Over the past several years, Independence Alternative High School has consistently ranked in the bottom tier of Idaho high schools, ranking 103 out of 106 in the 2022-2023 school year and 107 out of 110 in the 2021-2022 school year. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated significantly, ranging from a high of 64.8% in 2018-2019 to a low of 34.2% in 2020-2021, with the most recent rate in 2022-2023 being 50.6%, which is significantly lower than the state average. Additionally, the school has experienced high rates of chronic absenteeism, with 21.3% of students chronically absent in the 2022-2023 school year and 27.0% in the 2021-2022 school year, much higher than the state average and the nearby Blackfoot High School.

The school's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates on the ISAT assessments, is significantly lower than the state and district averages. In 2022-2023, only 15.2% of students were proficient or better in ISAT/Science, and 29.4% were proficient or better in ISAT/English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 41.6% and 52.2%, respectively. Additionally, Independence Alternative High School has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, with 59.17% of students qualifying in the 2022-2023 school year, significantly higher than the nearby Blackfoot High School, which had a rate of 39.58%. Despite these challenges, the school's small size and alternative setting may provide the flexibility to implement targeted interventions and support systems to address the specific needs of its student population.

Detail:

Public 7-12

155 East Francis Street
Blackfoot, ID 83221-2317

(208) 785-8825

District: Blackfoot District

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,278

Student/teacher ratio: 19.8

Number of students: 137

Racial breakdown:

White:

35.8%

Hispanic:

32.8%

American Indian:

28.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 58.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Independence Alternative High School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6.83. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Independence Alternative High School 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 Student population at Independence Alternative High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (35.8%), Hispanic (32.8%), American Indian (28.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 58.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Independence Alternative High School is 19.8. (See more...)

Compare Independence Alternative High School employs 6.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Independence Alternative High School is $12,278.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Independence Alternative High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Blackfoot District:

SchoolDigger ranks Blackfoot District 65^th of 77 Idaho school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Independence Alternative High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ID State Percentile
2008	20.71	141^st	151	6.6%
2009	19.44	122^nd	128	4.7%
2010	16.68	155^th	169	8.3%
2011	32.72	137^th	165	17.0%
2012	28.51	133^rd	162	17.9%
2013	22.46	143^rd	160	10.6%
2022	2.72	107^th	110	2.7%
2023	6.83	103^rd	106	2.8%

See the entire list of Idaho High School Rankings!

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

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Independence Alternative High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	81	81
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	94	94
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	121	121
1994	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	89	89
1995	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	134	134
1996	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	134	134
1997	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	88	88
1998	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	148	148
1999	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	116	116
2000	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	121	121
2001	89	0	0	14	10	n/a	n/a	0	113
2002	93	0	0	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	98
2003	93	0	0	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	98
2004	72	0	0	38	16	n/a	n/a	0	126
2005	75	0	0	29	20	n/a	n/a	0	124
2006	48	0	1	33	18	n/a	n/a	0	100
2007	54	0	0	31	22	n/a	n/a	0	107
2008	50	0	0	27	16	n/a	n/a	0	93
2009	51	0	0	30	6	n/a	n/a	0	87
2010	52	0	0	31	15	n/a	n/a	0	98
2011	113	0	2	72	27	0	5	0	219
2012	87	1	1	51	24	1	5	0	170
2013	40	0	0	35	7	1	1	0	84
2014	106	0	1	85	29	1	8	0	230
2015	82	2	0	65	24	2	7	0	182
2016	61	1	0	46	27	0	4	0	139
2017	57	1	0	37	26	1	6	0	128
2018	59	1	0	34	12	1	1	0	108
2019	61	0	0	37	29	0	6	0	133
2020	58	0	0	29	20	1	3	0	111
2021	79	0	0	44	27	1	6	0	157
2022	75	0	0	51	25	0	8	0	159
2023	73	1	0	64	23	2	6	0	169
2024	49	0	0	45	39	2	2	0	137

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 Independence Alternative High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	81	3.6	22.5	n/a
1992	94	5.0	18.8	n/a
1993	121	7.0	17.3	n/a
1994	89	6.6	13.5	0
1995	134	8.5	15.8	4.5
1996	134	8.5	15.8	4.5
1997	88	10.0	8.8	0
1998	148	9.5	15.6	39.2
1999	116	11.7	9.9	39.7
2000	121	8.7	13.9	43
2001	113	8.5	13.3	97.3
2002	98	6.7	14.6	96.9
2003	98	6.7	14.6	96.9
2004	126	7.4	17.0	80.2
2005	124	7.5	16.5	76.6
2006	100	9.5	10.5	94
2007	107	10.1	10.6	93.5
2008	93	9.7	9.6	86
2009	87	9.2	9.4	90.8
2010	98	8.5	11.5	86.7
2011	219	9.5	23.0	39.7
2012	170	8.0	21.2	48.2
2013	84	7.4	11.2	34.5
2014	230	7.5	30.6	50.9
2015	182	8.0	22.7	81.3
2016	139	9.0	15.4	59.7
2017	128	9.5	13.4	58.6
2018	108	9.1	11.8	58.3
2019	133	10.0	13.3	58.6
2020	111	9.0	12.3	58.6
2021	157	9.0	17.4	58.6
2022	159	9.0	17.6	59.1
2023	169	17.0	9.9	59.2
2024	137	6.9	19.8	58.4

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 Independence Alternative High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	81	3.6	22.5	n/a
1992	94	5.0	18.8	n/a
1993	121	7.0	17.3	n/a
1994	89	6.6	13.5	0
1995	134	8.5	15.8	4.5
1996	134	8.5	15.8	4.5
1997	88	10.0	8.8	0
1998	148	9.5	15.6	39.2
1999	116	11.7	9.9	39.7
2000	121	8.7	13.9	43
2001	113	8.5	13.3	97.3
2002	98	6.7	14.6	96.9
2003	98	6.7	14.6	96.9
2004	126	7.4	17.0	80.2
2005	124	7.5	16.5	76.6
2006	100	9.5	10.5	94
2007	107	10.1	10.6	93.5
2008	93	9.7	9.6	86
2009	87	9.2	9.4	90.8
2010	98	8.5	11.5	86.7
2011	219	9.5	23.0	39.7
2012	170	8.0	21.2	48.2
2013	84	7.4	11.2	34.5
2014	230	7.5	30.6	50.9
2015	182	8.0	22.7	81.3
2016	139	9.0	15.4	59.7
2017	128	9.5	13.4	58.6
2018	108	9.1	11.8	58.3
2019	133	10.0	13.3	58.6
2020	111	9.0	12.3	58.6
2021	157	9.0	17.4	58.6
2022	159	9.0	17.6	59.1
2023	169	17.0	9.9	59.2
2024	137	6.9	19.8	58.4

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 Independence Alternative High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,512 (12.3%)	$10,765 (87.7%)	$12,278

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence Alternative High School

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	133	169	27.1%
African American	0	1
American Indian	29	23	20.7%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	37	64	73%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	61	73	19.7%
Two or More Races	6	6
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	58.6%	59.2%	0.5%

Schools Near Independence Alternative High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISAT Math All Grades	ISAT Science All Grades	ISAT English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Independence Alternative High School	Public	7-12	155 East Francis Street	Blackfoot	83221	Bingham County	Blackfoot District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 785-8825	137	7	19.8	58.4%	49 (35.8%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (32.8%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (28.5%)	2 (1.5%)	2 (1.5%)								(n/a)				$12,278	$1,512	$10,765
Blackfoot School District Online Junior/Senior School	Public, Virtual	7-12	270 East Bridge Street	Blackfoot	83221	Bingham County	Blackfoot District	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(208) 332-6800	53	2	25.6		35 (66.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Blackfoot High School	Public	9-12	870 South Fisher Avenue	Blackfoot	83221	Bingham County	Blackfoot District	No	No	No	No	(208) 785-8810	1,243	64	19.4	29.8%	845 (68.0%)	4 (0.3%)	232 (18.7%)	7 (0.6%)	135 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (1.6%)	33.6	108^th of 159 public high schools	32.1%		35.1	74^th of 106 public high schools	30.2%	34	22.8	30.9	57.8	$8,165	$876	$7,288
Bingham Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	1350 Parkway Drive #18	Blackfoot	83221	Bingham County	Idaho Stem Academy Inc.	Yes	No	No	Yes	(208) 557-4003	82	7	11.7		48 (58.5%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (26.8%)	8 (9.8%)	1 (1.2%)	1 (1.2%)	2 (2.4%)								(n/a)				$15,098	$734	$14,364
Snake River Opportunities High School	Public, Virtual	9-12	103 South 900 West	Blackfoot	83221	Bingham County	Snake River District	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(208) 684-3096	96	8	12.0		83 (86.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.1%)								(n/a)
Snake River Opportunities Alternative High School	Public, Virtual	7-12	103 South 900 West	Blackfoot	83221	Bingham County	Snake River District	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(208) 332-6800	39	0	88.6		32 (82.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (15.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Snake River High School	Public	9-12	922 West Highway 39	Blackfoot	83221	Bingham County	Snake River District	No	No	No	No	(208) 684-3061	603	41	14.7	20.7%	503 (83.4%)	7 (1.2%)	80 (13.3%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.3%)								(n/a)	27.4			$7,697	$591	$7,105
Firth High School	Public	9-12	329 Lincoln Street	Firth	83236	Bingham County	Firth District	No	No	No	No	(208) 346-6812	290	15	19.4	28.3%	239 (82.4%)	2 (0.7%)	40 (13.8%)	2 (0.7%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	67	49^th of 159 public high schools	69.2%		78.2	20^th of 106 public high schools	81.1%	29	47.1		61.8	$8,587	$760	$7,828
Shoshone-Bannock School	Public	6-12	50 South Hiline Road	Pocatello	83202	Bannock County	Shoshone-Bannock School	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(208) 238-4200	130	4	32.5	97.7%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	130 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Shelley Senior High School	Public	9-12	570 West Fir Street	Shelley	83274	Bingham County	Shelley Joint District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 357-7400	785	36	21.8	29.0%	663 (84.5%)	6 (0.8%)	105 (13.4%)	6 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29.1	115^th of 159 public high schools	27.7%		20.1	92^nd of 106 public high schools	13.2%	23	28.5	33.5	46.9	$7,047	$798	$6,249

Frequently Asked Questions about Independence Alternative High School

What is the racial makeup of Independence Alternative High School?

Students at Independence Alternative High School are 36% White, 33% Hispanic, 28% American Indian, 1% Pacific Islander, 1% Two or more races.

What district is Independence Alternative High School in?

Blackfoot District

How many students attend Independence Alternative High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 137 students attended Independence Alternative High School.

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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.