Summary:
Council District is home to one elementary school, Council Elementary School, serving grades PK–6 with 165 students in the rural community of Council, Idaho. Because only one school is in this district, the analysis focuses on how this school compares to Idaho state averages and to the overall Council District performance.
Council Elementary shows a mix of bright spots and serious challenges. The strongest area is 3rd grade math, where 54.2% of students are proficient, slightly above the state average of 50.9%. Overall math proficiency also improved dramatically, jumping from 25.0% in 2024–2025 to 36.6% in 2025–2026, though it still trails the statewide rate of 43.1%. That said, English Language Arts is a critical weakness: only 24.7% of students are proficient in reading and writing across all grades, compared to 54.0% statewide. Science is also a concern, with just 23.1% of 5th graders proficient versus 44.0% statewide. Chronic absenteeism was 20.6% in 2023–2024, well above the state’s 13.8% rate, and the school’s state ranking is low — 292nd out of 346 Idaho elementary schools, placing it in the bottom 16%.
Despite these struggles, there are encouraging signs. The school improved from a 0-star rating in 2024–2025 to a 1-star rating in 2025–2026, and the district overall is ranked above average at 36th out of 101 Idaho districts with 3 stars. However, district success does not match school-level performance, and Council Elementary still faces significant gaps in reading, science, and attendance. With 42.4% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, the school serves a moderate share of economically disadvantaged families. Parents should view this school as one with real momentum in math but with urgent need for support in literacy and science.
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