District History

Bonneville Joint School District 93:
A History of Community Support and Growth

Bonneville Joint School District 93 began with ten small rural school districts serving families in Ammon, Iona, Ucon, Lincoln, Milo, Buck, Coltman, Crowley, Fairview, and St. Leon in the early 1900s. Most schools were one-room buildings heated by pot-bellied stoves, where a single teacher taught multiple grades and often lived with nearby families. Students walked or rode horseback to class.

Forming District 93

In 1945, the Idaho Legislature required statewide school consolidation. Rural residents were hesitant to merge with Idaho Falls city schools, but in March 1950, voters approved a plan to unite the rural districts into a new, independent school system—Bonneville Joint School District No. 93, separate from Idaho Falls School District 91.

Five trustee zones were created, local school boards were dissolved, and students were reorganized among schools in Ucon, Ammon, Iona, Lincoln, Coltman, Fairview, and St. Leon to form the district’s first unified system.

Growth and Expansion

Building a Unified High School System

1957: Bonneville High School opened as the district’s first centralized school for grades 7–12.
Population growth fueled by the Atomic Energy Site (now INL) required additional classrooms, bonds, and levies throughout the 1960s and 70s.
Overcrowding led to split sessions, and the district even considered year-round school.
1978: A new Bonneville High School opened; the original building became Bonneville Junior High.
Continued growth led to the construction of Hillcrest High School in 1992–93, along with the transition to a middle school model and the opening of Sandcreek and Rocky Mountain Middle Schools.

Expanding Student Opportunities

1995: The district opened its first alternative high school, Fairview, which later moved to the historic Lincoln building and became Lincoln High School.

The Early 2000s Building Boom

Between 2001 and 2010, District 93 grew from 7,568 students to more than 10,300, becoming one of Idaho’s fastest-growing districts. Community support made it possible to build new elementary schools—Rimrock, Woodland Hills, Bridgewater, Discovery, Mountain Valley, and later Summit Hills—along with major improvements to Hillcrest, Cloverdale, Rocky Mountain, and other campuses.

The district also built the Bonneville Sports Complex, new tennis courts at both high schools, and several additions to existing buildings. As enrollment continued to rise, modular classrooms were added across the district.

In 2012, District 93 opened Technical Careers High School (TCHS), expanding opportunities in welding, EMT training, construction, automotive technology, electronics, drafting, and more.

2010s: Rapid Growth and Continued Expansion

During the 2010s, District 93 became the largest Idaho school district outside the Treasure Valley. Voters continued supporting growth by approving major bonds for Thunder Ridge High School and Black Canyon Middle School, further expanding secondary capacity.

District 93 Today (2025)

Bonneville School District 93 now operates one of the largest educational systems in Idaho. The district includes:

High Schools

Bonneville High School
Hillcrest High School
Thunder Ridge High School

Magnet / CTE High Schools

Technical Careers High School (TCHS)
Ammon Honors Academy

Middle Schools

Black Canyon Middle School
Rocky Mountain Middle School
Sandcreek Middle School

Alternative School

Lincoln High School

Elementary Schools

Fifteen elementary schools, with Willow Creek Elementary opening in 2026

Facilities

Multiple modular classrooms used to manage ongoing enrollment growth

Funding and Community Support

Supplemental Levy

The supplemental levy provides essential funding for district operations, including:

Classroom resources and instructional support
School resource officers
Coaches, extracurricular advisors, and student activity transportation
Supplemental pay for teachers, counselors, administrators, custodians, maintenance staff, office staff, technology teams, paraprofessionals, and supervision staff

Supplemental levies run for two years and require a majority vote from district residents.

School Plant Facilities Levy

This long-term levy supports:

Safety and security upgrades
HVAC and roof repairs
Technology infrastructure
Parking lot and playground improvements
Equipment replacements
Major renovations and new construction

The Plant Facilities Levy runs for 10 years and must be approved by local voters.

State Support Through House Bill 521

House Bill 521 (2024–2025) provides District 93 with significant state funding for:

New school construction
Major modernization projects
Safety improvements
Long-term facility planning

This state investment comes at a crucial time, as D93 addresses overcrowding, replaces aging facilities, and prepares for continued community growth.

A Century of Progress

From humble one-room schoolhouses to a thriving network of modern campuses, District 93 has grown through strong community support and a shared commitment to innovation.