Best Public Schools in Zip Code 83549

In zip code 83549 (Riggins, Idaho), there are 2 schools serving grades PK–12 within the Salmon River Joint School District. The district is ranked 83 out of 101 Idaho districts and holds a 1-star rating, indicating overall low performance relative to the state. Both schools are small and rural, with Riggins Elementary School enrolling 92 students in grades PK–5 and Salmon River Junior/Senior High School enrolling 81 students in grades 6–12. The district spends a high $20,090 per student, a common pattern for small rural districts where fixed costs are spread over limited enrollment.

Salmon River Junior/Senior High School is the stronger performer of the two schools. Its science proficiency is exceptional at 71.4%, far above the state rate of 42.7%, and its English Language Arts proficiency of 68.4% also beats the state’s 54%. Math is essentially at the state average. In contrast, Riggins Elementary School shows concerning weaknesses: math proficiency is 37% (below the state's 43.1%), ELA proficiency is 37% compared to 54% statewide, and 5th-grade science is only 31.3% versus 44% statewide. The academic gap between the two schools is dramatic, especially in ELA where the high school outperforms the elementary school by more than 31 percentage points.

Chronic absenteeism is a serious concern at both schools, with the elementary at 15.7% and the high school at 21.5%, both above the state average of 13.8%. The high school also serves a lower-poverty population (51.9% free/reduced lunch) than the elementary school (68.5%), which may contribute to the elementary school’s lower scores. Historically, the high school was once ranked 4th in Idaho in 2011–2012, a 5-star school, but has since declined to a mid-tier performer with no current ranking. With such small cohorts, year-to-year swings can be driven by just a few students, but the consistent patterns point to a clear need for additional support at the elementary level.