Best Public Schools in Zip Code 83605

Zip code 83605 in Caldwell, Idaho, serves roughly 9,400 students across 17 schools — 8 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high, and 3 alternative schools — in a high-poverty area where about 64% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and chronic absenteeism averages 27%, nearly double the state rate of 13.8%. The area is served by the Caldwell District, which ranks in the bottom 3% of Idaho districts, the Vallivue School District, and several independent charter districts. Academic performance varies dramatically: average math proficiency is around 30% and ELA proficiency around 37%, both well below state averages of 43.1% and 54.0%.

The strongest schools are charters. Thomas Jefferson Charter leads the zip code with 71.4% math proficiency, 78.4% ELA proficiency, and just 2.4% chronic absenteeism. Vision Charter School also excels with 59.9% math and 72.3% ELA, while Mosaics Public School is the only school associated with a 3-star district and posts above-average math and science scores. At the other end, Sacajawea Elementary School ranks 346th out of 346 Idaho elementary schools, and Lewis And Clark Elementary ranks 345th. Elevate Academy has the lowest math proficiency in the zip code at just 6.4%, and Canyon Springs High School has a staggering 81.2% chronic absenteeism rate with no test data reported.

Chronic absenteeism is the clearest crisis here, with Syringa Middle School at 36.6%, Jefferson Middle School at 34.1%, and Summitvue Middle School at 28.6%. The three strongest schools — Thomas Jefferson, Vision, and Mosaics — have the lowest absenteeism rates, showing a clear connection between attendance and achievement. Charter schools are not uniformly strong: Heritage Community Charter sits below state averages, and Elevate Academy is among the lowest-performing schools in the area. Higher spending does not guarantee results either; Canyon Springs spends the most per student at $9,214, while Vision Charter spends just $6,555 and achieves far better outcomes. For parents, this zip code offers some excellent charter options, but traditional district schools, particularly in the Caldwell District, struggle significantly across the board.