Best Public Schools in Zip Code 83340

Zip code 83340 in Ketchum, Idaho, is served by a single school, Ernest Hemingway Steam School, a PK-8 institution that functions as both the elementary and middle school for this mountain community. As the only school in the area, it carries the full weight of educating local students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade and operates under the Blaine County District, which ranks 47th out of 101 districts in Idaho. The school enrolls 431 students and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.4, suggesting small class sizes and relatively personalized instruction.

Academically, Ernest Hemingway Steam School consistently outperforms both the district and state averages across all three tested subjects on the 2025-2026 ISAT. In math, 53.4% of students are proficient compared to 43.1% statewide, while English Language Arts proficiency sits at 58.9% versus 54.0% statewide, and science at 46.3% versus 42.7% statewide. The school's standout results come in 8th grade, where 68.2% of students are proficient in math and 72.7% in ELA, far exceeding state averages of 41.2% and 54.5%, respectively. However, 5th grade math is a notable weak spot, with only 35.3% of students proficient — below the state average of 42.2%. The school also saw slight declines in math and science scores from the prior year, and its state ranking percentile slipped from 61st to 55th, though it retained its 3-star rating.

With only 23.9% of students receiving free/reduced lunch, the school serves a comparatively affluent population, and this context matters when interpreting test scores. The chronic absenteeism rate of 15.4% is slightly higher than the state average of 13.8% and is worth monitoring. Per-student spending is a substantial $14,942, though this figure dates to 2018-2019 and should be viewed with caution. Overall, Ernest Hemingway Steam School is a solid, above-average PK-8 school for families in the Ketchum area, offering strong middle-school outcomes and small class sizes, with the 5th-grade math dip and absenteeism being the key areas to watch.