Peace Valley Charter School in Boise

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	4/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT) data from Idaho State Department of Education.
Student Growth	6/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Percentage of students meeting growth target data from Idaho State Department of Education.

Posted: January 25, 2026

Peace Valley Charter School is truly a gem in Boise. From the moment you walk onto campus, you can feel the sense of care, intention, and community that surrounds the students.
What sets Peace Valley apart is its Waldorf-inspired approach within a public charter setting. Children learn through art, music, movement, hands-on projects, gardening, storytelling, and deep relationships with their teachers while still meeting academic standards. My child comes home excited to share what they learned, whether its a science experiment, a painting, or a class play rehearsal.
The teachers genuinely know their students and care about their growth not just academically, but socially and emotionally too. The school feels small in the best way: families know each other, staff are approachable, and communication is thoughtful and transparent.

Posted: January 25, 2026

Peace Valley is a charter school in the Waldorf style. What that means is your child will be happier there than any other public or private school. They focus just as much on music, art, language, and other skills as they do on academics.

I love this school, because my child loves this school. The class sizes are small, the teachers are great, the parents are involved, and the entire experience is completely unlike what you would get at say, Challengers school.

It's so awful to have to watch the love of learning be beaten out of your child at a regular school. This school is not that. Here, my child is engaged and doing all the extra credit activities, not because he's a type-A go-getter, but because they're fun and he wants to.

It's truly a blessing to have this school as an option, and you should definitely send your child here. You'll notice the difference in their attitude about school immediately and you'll wonder what took you so long to discover Peace Valley.

Posted: January 25, 2026

Posted: December 5, 2024

Great parent / student community. We're in our second year at the school, and now have two kids enrolled. We love the whole person approach to education. Other schools seem to force rigourous academic work way too early. We've been pleased with the balanced approach. Teachers and administration have been phenomenal.

Posted: December 5, 2024

Posted: November 5, 2024

Our family loves Peace Valley Charter School! We currently have a 7th Grader and a 4th Grader there. Our eldest daughter graduated Peace Valley over a year ago. This is our fourth year at the school.

I believe that Peace Valley embodies what is best about Waldorf education.

There is a strong community spirit and a focus on relationships. The teachers are very nurturing and caring. My son had the same teacher from 1st to 3rd Grade and that provided him with a secure settling as he transitioned from morning kindergarten into full-time school. His teacher got to know him really well and was able to see his strengths and also areas where he struggled at a deeper level than would have been possible had she only been with him for one academic year.

Our children get to spend a significant amount of time outside. They have gardening and movement classes and their need to move as young energetic beings rather than sit for hours at a desk is respected and welcomed. The school encourages them to develop a close relationship with nature.

My kids enjoy and are excited about what they are learning. My seventh grader is learning about the great explorers of the world and as a way of embodying this learning they are doing weekly trips into their local environment so that they can explore where they live in more depth.

Our eldest daughter graduated from Peace Valley in 2022 after a very happy two years there. Previously our children were at a Waldorf Charter in California. She is now at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise and is doing very well with a 4.0 GPA. We appreciate that Peace Valley prepared her to succeed in high school not only academically but also by supporting her in developing an inner confidence and a strong sense of self.

As a psychologist, it's important to me that my children are in an environment that supports their ability to focus and be fully present in the moment. Technology has the potential to hijack this ability and I appreciate that Peace Valley guards against this by minimizing the use of technology in the classrooms. I also feel that Peace Valley creates an environment where it is safe for children to be themselves rather than feel pressure to conform to societal trends.

Above all, Peace Valley provides an environment where childhood is protected and children can play and grow-up in a more old-fashioned way than is available at other schools.

Posted: May 22, 2024

My child has been at Peace Valley for six years. We initially knew nothing about Waldorf and have come to love what it offers to the children. Waldorf takes into account the whole child, nurturing them from where they are. The looping system with the teachers allows the teachers and students to form endearing bonds with depth and substance. They learn the subjects in creative ways through storytelling, painting, and drawing in main lesson books which create memorable treasures for the families. They're taught through nature and to respect all living things. They have chickens and a school garden. They have beautiful, endearing festivals that illustrate reverence. The school eschews technology which allows the children to enjoy carefree play and innocence longer than a large public school might.

The community we've developed within the school and families will extend well beyond our time there. We've experienced and treasured so many incredibly heartfelt moments, school projects, field
trips, and creative play. My child loves Peace Valley.

Posted: May 22, 2024

Posted: May 13, 2024

Exceptional Waldorf charter school! From the moment my daughter began, we were captivated by the warm and nuturing environment. The dedication of the teachers is truly unmatched, fostering not just academic growth, but also a sense of creativity, curiosity, and compassion in each student.

What sets Waldorf apart is its holistic approach to education, seamlessly blending arts, music, movement, and academics into a harmonious curriculum that nourishes the mind, body, and spirit.

This school is a breath of fresh air!

Posted: May 13, 2024

Posted: February 6, 2024

When we first learned about Peace Valley opening, I never knew about Waldorf Education. I enrolled because my daughter was emotionally suffering at her local public school, and any alternative was needed. I cannot quantify how being part of PV community has helped all of our family's wellbeing. We learned as parents to nurture our children and hold them lovingly, without burdening ourselves and them with what success looks like academically. Our daughter thrived in the warmth of heart environment. She started in second grade and is now in 7th. She tests above average for the state. She has talents that have been lost in our culture, knitting, crocheting, imagination and consideration for others. Her younger brother has been there since kindergarten. His vocabulary is off the charts. He reads every waking moment he has for entertainment. More importantly to us, he is emerging from behind a wall that he built when he was younger due to unfortunate incidents. This would not have been as possible in a standard, public, classroom setting. Peace Valley does "looping" and the teacher and students carry through the grades together. Had he started over every school year with new kids and a new teacher, his trust would have been more difficult to obtain. Our youngest just started kindergarten. He was afraid to start school and did not want to attend. That all changed after ONE day with his lovely teacher and new friends. He does not view Saturday and Sunday as a break, instead these are two days he has to wait until he gets to go back to school. Our community has only grown stronger and more committed to keeping a Waldorf Education available to the Treasure Valley. Despite past faults we look to a bright future.

Posted: February 6, 2024

Posted: January 17, 2024

I send my kid here for three years, they taught her very little. She loved the school, but academically she fell behind. The school presents itself as a arts based education, but over time it became clear to me there is a religious aspect to the school that I was not comfortable with. It's not talked about openly, but they have the kids doing pagan rituals and prayers to Mother Earth. When I asked about it, they deflected and told me I was lucky to have access to this type of education and look at the children's artwork. Yes, the pictures are nice, but my child is behind in science, critical thinking skills and math.

Posted: January 17, 2024

Posted: September 12, 2023

We absolutely love this school! Our daughter loves going to school everyday! The teachers and staff are kind and compassionate. They teach without the use of screens or computers. They emphasize education of nature and the arts. We highly recommend this school. If you have a child in kindergarten through 8th grade, definitely look into Peace Valley Charter School!

Posted: September 12, 2023

It has been a wonderful place for my children. I love how they include the arts in school. Theatre, orchestra, music, art, gardening/botany, and of course the main subjects are taught as well. Waldorf teachers are taught stages children go through at different times in their life and what children's brains are doing, how they are changing and developing. I love this and think it is so important for teachers to know and utilize this knowledge as they teach and guide certain grades. I have 3 children attending and plan to put my younger 2 in as they get older! Our family loves this school; my children love going to this school. I am so excited to see how the new principal Mr. Stumph adds to the community and guides the school to even greater excellence.
I want to add as well that one of my children was bullied a couple years ago, but I worked with the teacher and the old principal through it. The bully was physically and emotionally abusive. They said they could not legally tell me what they did; however, that child stopped coming to school for a period of time. He came back for a time and after that was gone (within the same year). He isn't at the school anymore and the entire class is better off for it. I am pleased with how the situation was handled. I also am very confident the new principal will do an even better job with this type of situation. He has a zero tolerance policy for any type of bullying and that is showing to be effective with a new bullying situation that has come up with another of my children. I am very happy with how it is being handled so far. School should be an enjoyable place to be. And this school still is for my children. They are happy there. And I love that.
Bullying happens at every school; whether the parents hear about it or not. Whether it is posted in a review or not. And years ago, when I was a new teacher I saw bullying go unnoticed by people who should have resolved the situation and I watched more "experienced" teachers stand in denial about a child they liked bullying another child, I am very pleased with how the teachers I've worked with and the principals have handled these situations at Peace Valley.

Posted: September 12, 2023

Posted: August 1, 2023

Lovely charter school in Boise, ID. We have been more than pleased with the development of our 8 year old (started as a kindergartner). He is thoughtful, has great social skills, is comfortable around adults, and asks the most interesting questions, which is a sign of being curious about the world. We credit Peace Valley and the Waldorf curriculum for bringing him along at his own pace and instilling in him a love for school and his classmates.

Posted: August 1, 2023

Posted: February 2, 2023

No nurse on staff. Just the office giving ice packs out with no reports to why your child gets one. Principal is not willing to communicate immediately with a parent on a issue he hides behind his emails and office until he feels it's time to speak. Chain of command is what he goes by, got a problem, go to someone else first because as a principal I thought thats your job to figure out what's going on . Would not recommend this school to nobody. After pulling my child out I realized, academically she was so far behind and learned nothing and relized what a low score this school has After further research.

Posted: February 2, 2023

Base	Distance
Gowen Field	2.5 mi.
Mountain Home AFB	40.4 mi.

Peace Valley Charter School

Boise, ID 83705

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Peace Valley Charter School

Boise, ID 83705

School Ratings

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