Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 83350

Zip code 83350 (Rupert, Idaho) is served by two public elementary schools — Rupert Elementary School and Acequia Elementary School — both spanning PK through 5th grade and operating within the Minidoka County Joint District, a district ranked 94th out of 101 Idaho districts with a 0-star rating. This district-wide context matters because both schools face significant challenges, but they show very different strengths and weaknesses.

Rupert Elementary is the clear academic leader in this pair, outperforming Acequia in every tested subject and grade level. Rupert’s math proficiency is 33.3% versus Acequia’s 23.9%, its ELA proficiency is 38.6% versus 26.2%, and its 5th-grade science proficiency is 30.9% versus 21.4%. Rupert also ranks higher (305th out of 346 Idaho elementary schools, earning 1 star) compared to Acequia (340th, earning 0 stars). However, Acequia stands out for attendance: its chronic absenteeism rate is just 8.3%, far better than Rupert’s 15.3% and even better than the state average of 13.8%. This contrast is striking because Acequia also has a lower poverty rate (51.78% free/reduced lunch) than Rupert (69.68%), yet strong attendance and lower poverty have not translated into better academic results for Acequia.

Spending does not align with outcomes either: Acequia spends $8,204 per student, about $737 more than Rupert’s $7,467, yet Rupert scores higher across the board. Both schools are significantly behind state averages — Acequia trails by 19.2 points in math and 27.8 points in ELA, while Rupert is closer but still behind by 9.8 and 15.4 points, respectively. A concerning pattern emerges in math at both schools: proficiency drops as grade levels rise (Rupert: 40% in 3rd grade to 27.8% in 5th; Acequia: 31% to 19%), suggesting students fall further behind before middle school. Meanwhile, Acequia’s ELA scores improve steadily by grade, while Rupert dips in 4th grade before recovering in 5th. Both schools have seen their state rankings decline over three years, with Acequia dropping to the 2nd percentile. Ultimately, Rupert offers relatively stronger academics but needs to address chronic absenteeism, while Acequia must find ways to convert its excellent attendance and lower poverty into better learning outcomes.