Enrollment
102
Idaho · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Blackfoot, ID
Independence Alternative High School
Federal NCES profile for Independence Alternative High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 160027000689
👥 S:T ratio 76
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence Alternative High School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Idaho schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Idaho schools.
- #2 of 9
- schools in Blackfoot · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 6:1
- small classes for Idaho
- 55.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence Alternative High School has class sizes smaller than 98% of Idaho schools. Computed live against every Idaho school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Alternative High School ranks #2 of 9 schools in Blackfoot, ID.
School address
District: Blackfoot District · Idaho
NCES ID 160027000689 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
6:1
vs 17.1:1 Idaho avg
-65% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.0%
vs 29.3% Idaho avg
+88% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence Alternative High School compares with Idaho and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence Alternative High School
Independence Alternative High School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Blackfoot, Idaho, enrolling 102 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 6:1, Independence Alternative High School is leaner than roughly 98% of Idaho schools and 65% under the state's 17.1:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 55.0% of students qualify for free meals, 88% above the Idaho average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 102 puts it in the smaller third of Idaho schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 775 Idaho schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 20 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Idaho schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 102 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Its district draws 24.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 47 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 102 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Blackfoot District also operates Blackfoot High School (1,170 students) and Mountain View Middle School (526 students) alongside Independence Alternative High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Independence Alternative High School compares
Independence Alternative High School on the metrics families compare, against Idaho and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Idaho | Idaho avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 6:1 | ▼ 65% | 17.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.0% | ▲ 88% | 29.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 102 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
102
Bigger than 10% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 88% above the Idaho average of 29.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
6:1
students per teacher
- 65% below state mean
Top 2% in Idaho - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$9,635
per pupil, district-wide
- below Idaho avg of $11,939
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 102 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 47 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 46.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 40.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 34.3%
Hispanic or Latino 23.5%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Largest group: White at 40.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.5, Independence Alternative High School is more mixed than the Idaho school average of 36.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Blackfoot District, which includes Independence Alternative High School.
$9,635
Per student
-19%
vs Idaho
Avg $11,939
-42%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.8%
State 61.4%
Federal 24.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Independence Alternative High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackfoot High School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Mountain View Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| I T Stoddard Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Ridge Crest Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| Blackfoot Heritage Sixth Grade | Larger | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Independence Alternative High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,170
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 526
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 359
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 277
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Idaho, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~102 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence Alternative High School's federal record.
- Compare Independence Alternative High School against another school. Compare schools
- Blackfoot District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Independence Alternative High School
How many students attend Independence Alternative High School?
Independence Alternative High School has 102 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Blackfoot, ID.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Alternative High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence Alternative High School is 6:1, which is 65% lower than the Idaho average of 17.1:1 and 62% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Independence Alternative High School?
55.0% of students at Independence Alternative High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Idaho average of 29.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Alternative High School?
The largest demographic group at Independence Alternative High School is White at 40.2% of enrollment, in Blackfoot, ID. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Alternative High School?
Independence Alternative High School has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Independence Alternative High School rank among schools in Blackfoot?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Alternative High School ranks #2 of 9 schools in Blackfoot, ID. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Blackfoot on the city page.
Is Independence Alternative High School a good school?
Independence Alternative High School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Idaho schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Idaho schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Blackfoot District?
Besides Independence Alternative High School, Blackfoot District also operates Blackfoot High School (1,170 students), Mountain View Middle School (526 students), and I T Stoddard Elementary School (403 students). See the Blackfoot District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.