Summary:
Zip code 83669 (Star, Idaho) contains two schools—Star Elementary School (PK–5) and Star Middle School (6–8)—serving a combined 1,740 students within Joint School District No. 2. The area has no high school of its own, so families travel outside the zip code for grades 9–12.
Star Middle School is the clear academic standout. It ranks 30th out of 174 Idaho middle schools (83rd percentile, 4 stars) and exceeds state proficiency averages by roughly 14–16 percentage points in math, ELA, and science. Star Elementary School also beats state averages, but by much smaller margins, and ranks 152nd out of 346 elementary schools (56th percentile, 3 stars). It trails its own district by 9–13 points in every subject. The elementary school serves a higher-need population, with 34.25% free/reduced lunch versus 20.93% at the middle school, and it struggles with a 23.6% chronic absenteeism rate—nearly double the district rate of 12.7%.
Both schools have slipped in state rankings over the past three years, but Star Elementary has fallen further, from the 71st to the 56th percentile. At Star Elementary, math proficiency drops sharply as students advance, from 55.4% in 3rd grade to 40.9% in 5th grade—a 14.5-point decline—even as ELA improves. The middle school shows a smaller upper-grade slump. Notably, Star Elementary spends about $1,000 less per student than Star Middle despite serving more students in need, and its lower student–teacher ratio (19.1 vs. 23.5) has not translated into stronger outcomes. The most urgent priorities for this area are improving elementary attendance, supporting upper-elementary math, and directing more equitable resources to the higher-need elementary campus.
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