Popplewell Elementary School

Popplewell Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Buhl, Idaho, serving 542 students in grades PK–5 as part of the Buhl Joint District.

Popplewell currently ranks in the bottom 13% of Idaho elementary schools with a 1-star rating, and proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science all fall below state averages. That said, math is a relative bright spot: 36.4% of students met math proficiency standards in 2025–26, which is above the district average and higher than most nearby schools, including Heritage Academy (23.7%), Harrison Elementary School (22.9%), and I B Perrine Elementary School (16.5%). English language arts is a bigger concern, with just 36.0% proficiency — an 18-point gap behind the state. Early literacy is especially troubling: only 29.3% of 3rd graders are reading at grade level.

Chronic absenteeism is one of the clearest challenges. About 21–23% of students are chronically absent, well above the state rate, which is likely holding the school back. There is also a sharp 5th-grade slump: math proficiency drops from 43.5% in 4th grade to 25.5% in 5th grade, and 5th-grade science sits at just 25.5%. The school showed promise in 2023–24 when it earned a 2-star rating, but those gains weren't sustained. For context, nearby Rock Creek Elementary spends less per student yet achieves dramatically higher scores with far lower absenteeism (9.1%), while Gem Prep: Twin Falls also stands out as a higher-performing option. Popplewell does outperform several regional peers like Lincoln Elementary School and Summit Elementary in both math and reading, despite having larger class sizes. With 59.4% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, the school serves a largely low-income population, and improving attendance and early literacy support would be a realistic path forward.