Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 83330

In ZIP code 83330, there is exactly one middle school serving grades 6 through 8: Gooding Middle School, part of the Gooding Joint District. With 289 students and a student-teacher ratio of 15.9, this mid-sized school sits in a community where about 54% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a moderate-to-high level of economic need. Chronic absenteeism stands at 12.5%—better than both the district rate of 15.7% and the state rate of 13.8%—which is a positive sign for consistent learning.

Academically, Gooding Middle School shows a clear split between English Language Arts and math. ELA proficiency is 54.2%, essentially matching the state average of 54.0% and comfortably exceeding the district's 50.8%. Seventh grade ELA is a standout at 60.4% proficiency, well above the state's 56.8%. However, math is a notable area of concern: overall math proficiency is 37.1%, roughly 6 percentage points below the state average of 43.1%. The biggest alarm is in 7th grade math, where only 29.7% of students are proficient versus 43.6% statewide—a 13.9-point gap. By contrast, 6th grade math (42.7%) is right in line with the state, and 8th grade math (40.0%) is close. ELA also shows a drop-off in 8th grade, falling to 49.4% versus the state's 54.5%, suggesting that upper-grade reading and writing support may need attention.

The most encouraging news is the school's recent momentum. Between 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, math proficiency jumped from 29.3% to 37.1%, a gain of 7.8 points, while ELA rose from 52.1% to 54.2%. The school's state ranking improved from the 25th percentile to the 44th percentile, and its star rating moved from 1 star to 2 stars. This indicates that instructional changes are beginning to pay off. Gooding Middle School is not yet an above-average performer, but with its strong attendance, solid ELA results, and upward trajectory, it is a school moving in the right direction. The primary challenge ahead is clearly addressing the 7th grade math gap to sustain this positive trend.