Best Public Schools in Zip Code 83703

Zip code 83703 in Boise, Idaho contains 5 schools, all within the Boise Independent District: four elementary schools serving PK–6 and one middle school serving grades 7–9, meaning there is no high school in the immediate area. Overall, schools here perform slightly above state averages in math and ELA, but with dramatic variation between individual institutions. The most notable contrast is between Collister Elementary School, ranked 6th in Idaho with 73.8% math proficiency, and Taft Elementary School, ranked 322nd with only 20.6% math proficiency — a 53-point gap despite being in the same district and zip code.

Collister is the clear standout, with exceptional test scores, low chronic absenteeism (12.1%), and the lowest poverty rate in the group (10.7% free/reduced lunch). At the other end, Taft faces significant challenges: 97.3% free/reduced lunch, 24.5% chronic absenteeism, and the highest per-student spending ($12,390) yet lowest achievement. Cynthia Mann Elementary School is a strong, reliable option ranked in the 75th percentile, with all subjects above district and state averages, despite a relatively high absenteeism rate of 23.9%. Lowell Elementary School sits near average overall, but shows striking grade-level swings, from excellent 6th grade results to weak 4th grade performance. The only middle school, Hillside Junior High School, ranks near the median with math and ELA scores in line with district and state figures.

Chronic absenteeism is a systemic issue here — only Collister stays below the state rate of 13.8%, while three of the five schools exceed the district rate of 22.5%. The data also shows a clear link between poverty levels and test performance, with Taft's near-universal poverty coinciding with low outcomes and Collister's low poverty aligning with top scores. Notably, higher spending does not guarantee better results, as Taft spends the most per student yet trails all others. For families, the lack of a high school in the zip code is an important practical consideration, and the wide range in school performance means choosing an attendance area matters greatly.