Summary:
Zip code 83204 in Pocatello, Idaho, is served by 7 schools—4 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools—enrolling 4,388 students across the Pocatello District and the smaller The Pocatello Community Charter School Inc. district. The strongest overall school is Century High School, ranked in the 80th percentile statewide with 4 stars, while Indian Hills Elementary is the top elementary performer, with math proficiency well above district and state averages. On the other end, Jefferson Elementary ranks in the 15th percentile with 1 star and the highest poverty rate in the zip code at 68.5% free/reduced lunch.
Attendance varies widely. Pocatello Community Charter has the best chronic absenteeism rate in the area at just 6.8%, far below the state average of 13.8%, and also posts exceptional science scores. However, its math proficiency drops from 62.5% in 3rd grade to just 30.8% in 8th grade. Conversely, Jefferson Elementary has low absenteeism (11.4%) but the lowest test scores, suggesting poverty rather than attendance drives its academic challenges. Pocatello High School and Century High School both struggle with high school math (around 35% proficiency), yet both outperform state averages in ELA and science. Irving Middle School sits in the middle tier but shows 8th-grade math proficiency of just 31.2%, well below the district's 45.2%.
Chronic absenteeism is a widespread concern, with most schools exceeding the state average; Century High School has the highest rate at 28.6%. Spending does not clearly align with outcomes—Pocatello Community Charter spends the least per student ($6,157) yet has the best attendance and science scores, while Pocatello High School spends the most ($8,094) and ranks in the middle. Lincoln Preschool Center has no academic or spending data, leaving its performance unreported.
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