Summary:
Paul, Idaho is home to a small public school system with just 2 schools serving roughly 963 students: Paul Elementary School (Pre-K through 5th grade, 457 students) and West Minico Middle School (6th through 8th grade, 506 students). Both schools belong to the Minidoka County Joint District, which ranks 94th out of 101 Idaho districts, placing it in the 7th percentile with a 0-star rating. There are no high schools or alternative schools in Paul itself.
Comparing the two schools, West Minico Middle School is the standout. Despite having a higher poverty rate (62.65% free/reduced lunch), it outperforms the district in every tested subject. In 8th grade, 50.4% were proficient in ELA versus 37.8% district-wide, and 35.8% were proficient in science versus 26.4% district-wide. Its state ranking improved from the 5th percentile to the 16th percentile. Paul Elementary, by contrast, saw a sharp decline, with math proficiency falling from 35.5% to 25.7% and science from 37.2% to 27.0% in one year. Its state ranking dropped to the 9th percentile with a 0-star rating.
Attendance patterns also favor the middle school. West Minico's chronic absenteeism rate is 10.5%, below the district (14.5%) and state (13.8%), while Paul Elementary's rate is 16.9%. The middle school also spends more per student ($7,271 vs. $6,657). Both schools remain below state proficiency averages, with 5th grade math at Paul Elementary particularly concerning at just 17.6% proficiency versus 42.2% statewide. Since Paul has no high school, students likely continue elsewhere in the Minidoka County Joint District.
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