In Twin Falls, you'll find one of the state's best public school systems, an outstanding community college and a fine selection of private and parochial schools.

The Twin Falls School District educates over 7,800 students on a budget of over $45 million annually. Seven elementary schools, two middle schools, an alternative middle school, two high schools, an alternative high school, and a juvenile corrections school each provide a quality education to district students. Twin Falls High School and Canyon Ridge High School offer over 250 courses including advanced academic, dual credit, and specialized professional and technical classes. Each school is accredited.

In 2006, voters passed a $49.7 million levy - then the third largest in state history - to construct a new high school serving 1500 students. Canyon Ridge opened in the fall of 2009. The levy was also used for new multi-purpose rooms at five of the elementary schools and renovation and upgrades at Twin Falls High School and other schools in the district.

TFSD is ranked eighth in size among Idaho's 114 districts. It is one of the largest employers in the eight-country region, with over 400 certified teachers and 400 classified staff.

http://www.tfsd.org  

The Jerome School District serves over 3,400 students in five schools -- three elementary, one middle school and one high school -- with 385 staff members. Two new schools - an elementary and a middle school - will be opening during the 2007/2008 school year. In addition, they have one alternate school, and early education program for three-four year olds, and a day treatment behavior modification program that accepts students from surrounding communities. A Vo-Ag Science and Technology building on the high school campus works closely with the College of Southern Idaho. The facility includes a distance-learning center capable of providing a variety of additional classes through a statewide system of telecommunications. Two local private schools are also available to Jerome residents.

http://www.d261.k12.id.us/

The Mini-Cassia area is proud to educate over 9,000 students in 2 school districts. And the College of Southern Idaho also has a Mini-Cassia branch offering college courses locally.

Cassia County School District has about 5,000 students attending seven elementary schools, two junior high schools and four high schools.

Cassia County School District has just completed a 10-year building program in which three new high schools and three new elementary schools were built. The program also included the first in the state technical training center. In addition, the community donated approximately $1.8 million to upgrade the auditorium to a professional, full service Fine Arts Center. The generosity of this community demonstrates its commitment to education.

http://www.sd151.k12.id.us

Minidoka County School District enrolls about 4,000 students attending: four elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and one alternative junior high / high school. Minidoka County School District is in step by creating technical centers and providing modern facilities to educate companies' future workforces.

http://www.minidokaschools.org

The education opportunities in Gooding include modern facilities in the public schools as well as an alternative/accelerated learning center offering choices in education style for high school students. Special educational programs within the Gooding School District include a learning disabilities unit in both the elementary and the middle school. Help is also available to the educationally handicapped, including a speech and hearing unit, special math and reading units, and bilingual program offered to elementary students.

The College of Southern Idaho offers college courses and adult enrichment programs, ESL and GED services in Gooding. CSI’s main campus is located 40 minutes away in Twin Falls. Idaho State University maintains an education center and offers upper level courses on the CSI campus. Additionally, the University of Idaho maintains an extension office in Gooding and offers diverse extension courses and information.

http://www.goodingschools.org/

Kimberly School District enrolls 1,415 students at one elementary, middle school, and high school. One private school has 149 students. The College of Southern Idaho also has a vo-tech school here.

http://www.kimberly.edu

Filer School District - http://www.filer.k12.id.us/

Wendell School District serves approximately 1100 students in preschool through 12th grade.

http://www.sd232.k12.id.us//

Castleford School District - http://www.castlefordschools.com/index.html

The Glenns Ferry public school provides elementary and secondary education to students from throughout the school district. Opportunities for post-secondary education abound in Boise and Twin Falls, both of which are only about an hour away from Glenns Ferry. The Glenns Ferry school District consists of about 500 students PreK-12 and approximately sixty-two certified and classified staff members.

The College of Southern Idaho has expanded its Mini-Cassia campus and offers academic and technical educational opportunities. The community college and school districts are dedicated to providing the necessary skills for local and relocating companies. All three entities offer specially designed courses to meet the business community needs.

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO:

CSI partners with businesses in the region to develop training programs specific to the needs of their employee base. Many comprehensive, highly specialized business-related training programs have been developed or enhanced as a result of the college's close business industry relationship. Responsiveness is a key institutional priority and CSI works closely with individual businesses to develop tailored courses and programs that will enhance the capabilities of the employees at each respective place of employment. For example, CSI recently implemented an apprenticeship program in maintenance technology to train skilled technicians for light manufacturing and food processing plants in the Magic Valley. This apprenticeship program is the first of its kind in the state of Idaho. Other recent program development includes Manufacturing Technology, Dental Hygiene, and two renewable energy programs: Environmental Technology and Wind Energy.

CSI is a culturally diverse campus that attracts students from more than 65 countries each year. CSI’s Multicultural Student Services office is often a home away from home for dozens of international students. CSI has a strong ESL (English as a Second Language) program as well as a fledgling study abroad program.

The College of Southern Idaho is the pulse for the Magic Valley. It offers a comprehensive range of educational opportunities from two-year degree programs in transfer and professional-technical disciplines to non-credit professional and enrichment courses. CSI is a major contributor and supporter of community events and outreach programs. Among its outreach to young people programs such as “I’m Going to College,” College for Kids,” and “Tech Camp,” all of which are designed to give young students a positive preview of college life. An elaborate, interactive microwave system that connects the main campus in Twin Falls with schools, hospitals, and surgery centers as well as off campus centers in Burley, Gooding and Hailey, allows students throughout southern Idaho to receive valuable instruction. CSI is also adding more online courses to its catalog each year and is the largest provider of dual credit instruction in Idaho.

The 350-acre campus has been one of the fastest-growing institutions of higher education in Idaho in recent years.

• CSI has more than 70 academic programs that transfer easily to other colleges and universities and over 7,000 students are enrolled, 3,500 are full time. CSI students can pursue associate degrees and certificate programs as well as bachelor's and master's degrees through classes offered on campus by Boise State University, Idaho State University, the University of Idaho and Northwest Nazarene University. CSI has more than 40 professional technical programs, including some of the most sought after health sciences programs in the state. Their Emergency Medical Services program was recently honored as being Idaho's top postsecondary program in the state. CSI is a full residential campus, resembling many four-year schools with a new 70,000 square foot Health Science and Human Services building, spacious landscaping, competitive sports, clubs, student government, dorms, and full service cafeteria. The CSI Foundation now awards more than $1 million dollars a year in scholarships to academic, technical, art, music, drama, speech, leadership and athletic students.
• CSI features one of Idaho's four museums accredited by the American Association of Museums. The Herrett Center for Arts and Science is widely recognized for its pre-Columbian artifacts, modern art gallery, and ward-winning Faulkner planetarium, the largest in Idaho.
• CSI has provided professional training in various areas to the following companies: Glanbia Foods, Idaho Power, Daimler Trucks, General Motors, Kraft Foods, Lamb Weston, Seastrom Manufacturing, Simplot, Solo Cup, Hilex Poly, Dutchmen Manufacturing, Microbial Vac Systems, Jayco, Amalgamated Sugar, Seneca Foods, Rangens Inc., McCain Foods, and Jerome Cheese.
  http://www.csi.edu/

Twin Falls, Jerome, Mini-Cassia and The Wood River are served by several hospital facilities.

One Mission of Excellence…Four Award-Winning Hospitals

St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center opened its doors in 1908. Today, this hospital serves the health care needs of people in eight counties of southern Idaho and parts of northern Nevada. St. Luke’s Magic Valley provides inpatient and outpatient surgery, 24-hour emergency services, cancer treatment, imaging, Canyon View Behavioral Health Services, inpatient rehabilitation, and women’s and children’s health care.

A new, 186-bed hospital is under construction and expected to open in 2011. http://www.stlukesonline.org/news/construction/index.php

www.stlukesonline.org

St. Benedicts Medical Center is a non-profit hospital with a 40 bed long term care unit. It employs a staff of 200, making it the fourth largest employer in Jerome County. St. Benedicts was the only Idaho hospital to be named one of the top 100 hospitals in the United States in 1998 and 1999 by HCIA/William M. Mercer Inc. www.stbenshospital.com

The Mini-Cassia area has two hospitals offering a wide range of services.

Minidoka Memorial Hospital, is one of the county's largest employers, with over 210 full and part-time employees. Minidoka Memorial provides a wide range of services with 51 physicians on staff. This includes 7 family physicians, 1 general surgeon, 1 internist, a radiologist and numerous consulting physicians, including 2 orthopedic surgeons. In 1998 a 15,000 sq. ft. surgical and obstetrical addition was added onto the west end of the facility. Minidoka Memorial also has an extensive nursing home division which operates at near 100% capacity.  www.minidokamemorial.com

Cassia Regional Medical Center, a partner of Intermountain Health Care offers a 38 bed facility with a state of the art medical center newly completed in 1995. CRMC offer 24-hour emergency services, a state of the art birthing center, coronary intensive care, occupational medicine and therapy, rehabilitation services, home care and hospice and surgical services.
www.ihc.com

Glenns Ferry Health Center is able to care for routine health and dental needs as well as any family emergencies. Life Flight and ambulance services are available to major Boise hospitals for specialized emergency care. The nearest hospital is in Mountain Home 28 miles away.

Health care facilities in Gooding are unique for a community of this size. North Canyon Medical Center offers medical services on both an in- and out-patient basis and is staffed by an outstanding staff of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, and nurses. The hospital is host to a number of specialists who practice in the area and offers state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. Home health care and one of only five certified diabetic education centers in Idaho are part of the hospital services. Additionally, the Walker Center, a well-known treatment center for alcohol and substance abuse, is located in Gooding.
http://www.ncm-c.org/
http://thewalkercenter.org/

St. Luke's Wood River opened its doors, November 2000, to serve the health care needs of people living in the greater Blaine County area. This 25-bed critical access hospital provides inpatient and outpatient surgery, 24-hour emergency services, diagnostic imaging, OB/GYN services, internal medicine, orthopedics, and mammography. They provide a variety of community health services for every stage in life, from childbirth and parenting to healthy aging. They offer health screenings, educational programs, and other services tailored to meet the community needs. http://www.stlukesonline.org/wood_river/

Kimberly has nine congregations representing nine denominations.

Glenns Ferry - City government consists of the Mayor and four city council members.

The daily newspaper, The Times-News, serves Southern Idaho with local and national news. The area is also served by affiliates for major television networks -- KMVT/CBS 11, KTFT/NBC 38, KSAW/ABC 51, and KXTF/Fox 35; KDID/PAX 55; KIFT/PBS 13; KTWT/UPN 43; cable and wireless cable television systems - AT&T Broad Band/Cable One; and local and Boise radio stations with programming in most formats.

The ratio of law enforcement officers per 1,000 residents is used as a general measure of a community's commitment to law enforcement.