Summary:
Zip code 83501 in Lewiston, Idaho, is home to 8 elementary schools serving about 2,121 students across grades Pre-K through 6, with seven belonging to the Lewiston Independent District and one independent charter, Pinecrest Academy of Lewiston. The district is rated 4 stars and ranks 20th of 101 districts in Idaho, though individual school performance varies widely.
For parents comparing schools, Camelot Elementary School is the standout, with the highest state ranking (#47 of 346), top math proficiency at 72.6%, and the lowest poverty rate at 15.2%. McSorley Elementary School is the most improved, rising from the 39th to 53rd percentile in one year while posting the best attendance record (6.1% chronic absenteeism) and the lowest per-student spending. Orchards Elementary School is a consistent 4-star performer with strong math scores despite a 49% poverty rate, and Centennial Elementary School leads the group in 5th-grade science at 61.1% proficiency. In the middle range, Whitman Elementary School, McGhee Elementary School, and Webster Elementary School post math proficiency between 41% and 50%. Pinecrest Academy of Lewiston is the clearest concern, with the lowest test scores in math and ELA, plus chronic absenteeism of 34%.
Notably, higher spending does not guarantee better results: Whitman spends the most per student yet has among the lowest scores, while McSorley spends the least and still performs well. Chronic absenteeism closely tracks performance across the area, and ELA proficiency is the bigger district-wide challenge, with only Camelot exceeding the district average of 61.4%. Overall, this is a solid district, but parents should weigh each school's test scores, attendance, and poverty levels carefully when choosing.
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