Best Public Schools in Zip Code 83705

ZIP code 83705 is a high-poverty area in Boise, Idaho, with 8 schools serving elementary and middle grades (7 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and no high schools), with a total enrollment of 2,358 students and an average free/reduced-price lunch rate of about 97.8%.

Academic performance varies dramatically across the area, even though poverty is nearly universal. Hawthorne Elementary is the clear leader, ranking in the 78th percentile statewide (4 stars) with math proficiency of 55.9%, ELA of 63.6%, and 5th-grade science of 71.4% — all well above state averages. Monroe Elementary also stands out, ranking in the 60th percentile with 54.4% math, 51.2% ELA, and 67.7% science, plus the lowest chronic absenteeism in the ZIP at 13.4%. In contrast, Hillcrest Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, and Whitney Elementary all rank in the bottom 13% of Idaho elementary schools, with math proficiency below 32% and ELA below 38%. Owyhee Elementary sits in the middle with 40.4% math and 48.1% ELA. The only middle school, South Junior High, has 34.7% math and 45.8% ELA, with a notable drop in 7th-grade math to 27.4%. Peace Valley Charter School is a turnaround story, improving from the 6th to 44th percentile in two years, with strong ELA and science but weak math (25.5%) and the highest absenteeism in the area at 33.8%.

Two major challenges stand out. Chronic absenteeism in the ZIP averages about 24.6%, far above the state average of 13.8%, and the lowest-absenteeism schools (Monroe at 13.4%, Hawthorne at 19.2%) are exactly the highest-performing schools. Math is the weakest subject: only Hawthorne and Monroe exceed the state math average of 43.1%, while the ZIP average is just 36.2%. Several schools show a grade-level transition dip, especially at 6th grade — for example, Monroe's 5th-grade math is 71% but 6th-grade math drops to 39.4%. Science is a relative bright spot, with Hawthorne, Monroe, and Owyhee all beating the state science average. For parents, the key takeaway is that while poverty is high everywhere in 83705, school choice within the ZIP matters enormously — Boise Independent District schools like Hawthorne and Monroe prove that strong results are possible, while other schools in the same district struggle. Peace Valley Charter School Inc. offers a low-cost alternative that is improving but still faces significant attendance and math challenges.