Best Public Schools in Zip Code 83544

Zip code 83544, serving the Orofino and Weippe communities in rural Idaho, contains 4 schools across the Orofino Joint District, with a combined enrollment of 912 students and an unusual structure that blends middle grades into both elementary and high school buildings. For parents exploring this area, the standout school is Orofino Elementary School, which posts the strongest academic numbers in the district—especially in 4th grade, where math and reading proficiency far exceed state averages (67.9% vs. 48.0% in math; 75.0% vs. 50.2% in ELA). Meanwhile, Timberline High School is an encouraging success story: despite having a 61.5% poverty rate, it outperforms Idaho in math, science, and reading, and it made dramatic one-year gains in every subject. On the other end, Timberline Elementary faces the toughest challenges in the zip code—lowest test scores, highest poverty (71.7%), and highest per-student spending ($28,750) that has not translated into academic gains.

Attendance is the clearest district-wide red flag. Orofino High School has improved its state ranking dramatically (from the 8th percentile in 2022–23 to the 59th percentile in 2025–26), yet 26.2% of its students are chronically absent—nearly double the state rate of 13.8%. Timberline High (19.6%) and Timberline Elementary (22.7%) also exceed the state average, while only Orofino Elementary (15.4%) comes close to it. Both high schools share the state’s 82.5% graduation rate, and Orofino High’s older students show strong end-of-course ELA results (76.2% proficiency), but 8th grade ELA is weak (35.0%), suggesting a middleschool transition gap.

There is no clear relationship here between spending and outcomes—Timberline Elementary spends the most per student yet performs the lowest, while Timberline High spends the least yet beats the state. Poverty is not destiny either: Timberline High thrives despite high poverty, while Timberline Elementary struggles. For parents, the practical takeaways are that Orofino Elementary and Timberline High offer the strongest academics, Orofino High is rising but needs better attendance, and Timberline Elementary needs the most support, particularly in math and reducing chronic absenteeism.