Education & family
Schools, charter options, child care, colleges and kids' activities.
Public schools
Your school depends on your exact address, not your city name, so check the district's boundary tool first.
- Largest district
- West Ada (about 38,000 students): Meridian, Eagle, Star and west Boise
- Kindergarten age
- 5 on or before September 1
Charter, private & homeschool
You have four main options besides your neighborhood school: free public charter schools (admission by lottery), private schools (tuition), online public schools, and homeschool, which Idaho does not require you to register.
- Charter cost
- Free (public schools)
- Charter admission
- Lottery with priority groups; each school sets its own dates
Child care & preschool
Full-time center care for an infant in Idaho averaged about $10,600 a year in 2024, and prices in Boise and Meridian often run higher than the state average.
- Infant, Boise-area center
- About $1,600 to $2,400 a month (published 2026 rates)
- Idaho average, infant center
- $10,608 a year, about $884 a month (2024, statewide)
Colleges & universities
The valley has a large public university (Boise State), a low-cost community college (CWI), two private colleges (College of Idaho and Northwest Nazarene), and branch campuses of Idaho State and the University of Idaho.
- Cheapest start
- CWI: $172 per credit for Ada and Canyon residents (2026-27)
- Boise State
- $9,789 a year in-state tuition and fees (2026-27)
Kids' activities
Start with a free library card and your city's parks and recreation guide, which lists sports, classes and summer camps.
- Library cards
- Free for residents of each library's service area
- Free outings
- City parks, library story times, the Boise River Greenbelt