Most of the Kuna district’s schools are below capacity, some by hundreds.

That’s despite Kuna’s rapid population growth, leaving the district with a disconnect between community growth and public school enrollment. Superintendent Marcus Myers laid out the district’s capacity and enrollment numbers in a presentation to trustees Tuesday night.

• Hubbard Elementary: 263 students in a building with a capacity of 400.
• Indian Creek Elementary: 238 students in a building with a capacity of 375.
• Fremont Middle School: 532 students in a building with a capacity of 750.
• Kuna Middle School: 726 students in a building with a capacity of 960.

Enrollment has dropped by nearly 4% in the district since last school year, falling from 5,703 to 5,501. Yet in 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau named Kuna one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation.

“Right now we do have some room, and we want our classrooms full for the sake of our kids and for the great opportunities that we afford to kids,” Myers told trustees.

Some students are choosing alternatives to traditional public schools. About 2% of school-aged children within the district’s boundaries attend charters schools, Myers told Idaho Education News.

Increasingly, parents have more options beyond traditional public schools. Valor Classical Academy, a charter school, opened its doors this year with around 450 students enrolled.

Myers wants to have conversations with local families choosing charters to understand what influenced their decision.

“It could have nothing to do with the Kuna School District,” he said.

Myers told trustees he’s also working with the city to identify demographics of families moving into the area to learn how many have school-age children. He’s unsure when he will have the data.

Kuna’s enrollment appears to reflect a statewide trend: Despite continued population growth across the state, overall K-12 enrollment is declining, particularly among elementary-age students. One factor is declining birth rates, which fell from over 16 per 1,000 residents in 2007 to under 12 per 1,000 residents in 2024, according to U.S. census data.

Kuna has also seen its heaviest declines among elementary students.

Some parents also cited homeschooling in a recent Kuna School District survey.

Other families may be choosing private or charter schools, though it’s unclear how many students leaving public schools are taking advantage of Idaho’s $50 million Parental Choice Tax Credit. The Idaho State Tax Commission won’t release data showing how many recipients previously enrolled their children in public schools.

Other news from Tuesday’s meeting

The board unanimously approved refinancing the district’s bond debt to save money.

Zions Public Financing estimated that the move could save Kuna more than $600,000.

Boise trustees recently discussed refinancing the district’s bond debt.