Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 83544

Zip code 83544, which includes the communities of Orofino and Weippe in Idaho, is served by two elementary schools within the Orofino Joint District: Orofino Elementary School, serving grades PK-6 with 356 students, and Timberline Elementary, serving grades PK-5 with just 92 students.

Despite belonging to the same district, the two schools differ dramatically in both resources and outcomes. Orofino Elementary School is the clear academic standout, ranking 147th out of 346 Idaho elementary schools with a 3-star rating in 2025-2026 after earning a 4-star, 73rd-percentile ranking the prior year. Its math proficiency rate of 52.5% and ELA proficiency rate of 58.8% both exceed state averages, and its 4th grade scores are particularly exceptional—67.9% in math and 75.0% in ELA versus state averages of 48.0% and 50.2%. Timberline Elementary, by contrast, has no recent ranking data, and its proficiency rates lag far behind: 26.9% in math and 40.4% in ELA. Timberline also faces greater challenges, with a 71.74% free/reduced lunch rate and a 22.7% chronic absenteeism rate, compared to 46.07% and 15.4% for Orofino Elementary.

One of the most striking findings is the spending difference. Timberline Elementary spends $28,750 per student—nearly double the $14,537 spent at Orofino Elementary—yet achieves substantially lower test scores, likely reflecting the diseconomies of operating a very small rural school. Orofino Elementary, with a 14.8 student-teacher ratio, maintains solid middle-to-upper tier performance, though its ranking slipped from the 73rd to the 58th percentile in 2025-2026 and its math proficiency dropped from 60.4% to 52.5%. Timberline's data is sparse, with limited grade-level test scores available, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly where gaps lie, but the available evidence shows a school struggling with poverty, attendance, and academics despite generous per-student funding. Orofino Elementary offers stronger academics and greater stability, while Timberline Elementary serves a smaller, higher-need population with significant challenges.