Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 83835

The 83835 zip code in the Hayden/Hayden Lake area of Idaho is home to 4 elementary schools serving roughly 1,871 students across grades PK–8. Three schools — Hayden Meadows Elementary School, Atlas Elementary School, and Northwest Expedition Academy — belong to the Coeur d'Alene District, ranked 13th out of 101 in Idaho, while Hayden Canyon Charter School operates under the Hayden Canyon Charter School Inc. district. The area outperforms state averages in math and ELA, but results are highly uneven.

Hayden Meadows is the clear standout, ranking 7th out of 346 Idaho elementary schools (98th percentile, 5 stars), with math proficiency of 76.3%, ELA proficiency of 80.3%, and an extraordinary 0.9% chronic absenteeism rate. It has been consistently excellent, moving from 12th to 8th to 7th in state rankings over three years. Atlas is a solid mid-to-upper-tier option, ranking 74th statewide (79th percentile, 4 stars) with math at 60.5% and ELA at 64.4%, though it slipped from 62nd in the past year. Hayden Canyon ranks 153rd statewide (56th percentile, 3 stars), performing near the state average in math (42.7%) and slightly above in ELA (56.0%), with science a clear strength (53.3% vs. 42.7% statewide); it improved from 196th to 153rd. The outlier of concern is Northwest Expedition, ranking 303rd of 346 (12th percentile, 1 star) with just 29.4% math and 40.5% ELA proficiency. Its ranking has fallen from 177th to 241st to 303rd over three years, despite having the highest per-student spending ($8,905) and smallest class sizes (15.6:1) in the group.

The differences between schools in this small area are striking. Hayden Meadows and Northwest Expedition sit just miles apart with a 296-place ranking gap and a nearly 47-point math proficiency gap. Notably, the highest-spending school with the smallest classes (Northwest Expedition) has the lowest results, while the lowest-spending school with the largest classes (Hayden Meadows) is the top performer — suggesting factors beyond funding matter. Free/reduced lunch rates align closely with outcomes, from 22.11% at Hayden Meadows to 49.34% at Northwest Expedition. Attendance doesn't explain everything, as both Hayden Meadows and Northwest Expedition have very low chronic absenteeism. For families, Hayden Meadows leads the pack, Atlas offers reliable above-average performance, Hayden Canyon is an improving K–8 option with strong science, and Northwest Expedition stands out as the highest priority for intervention.