Best High Schools in Zip Code 83856

Zip code 83856 contains one high school, Priest River Lamanna High, a rural school in Priest River, Idaho, serving grades 7 through 12 with 396 students. As the only high school in the area, it functions as the sole secondary school for the community and is part of the West Bonner County District, a district that ranks in the bottom fifth statewide. The school itself has consistently ranked in the lower 20% of Idaho high schools in recent years, with a wide grade span that covers both middle and high school students.

Academically, Priest River Lamanna High trails district and state averages in every tested subject. In the most recent testing year, only 19% of students were proficient in math, compared to 43.1% statewide; science proficiency was 24% versus 42.7%, and English language arts proficiency was 37.3% versus 54%. The graduation rate of 82.5% matches the state average exactly, but chronic absenteeism is a major concern: 22.6% of students are chronically absent, more than 1.6 times the state rate of 13.8%. About 42% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a significant population experiencing economic disadvantage. The student-teacher ratio is 15.7 to 1, and per-student spending was reported at $13,902, though this figure is from several years ago.

One of the most striking trends is the sharp decline in math proficiency, which fell from 27.4% to 19% year over year, while science also dropped noticeably. ELA performance remained relatively flat. Despite these academic challenges, the school graduates students at the same rate as the state, which is an encouraging sign. However, the high level of chronic absenteeism likely undermines student progress and is closely tied to the school’s low test scores. The struggles at Priest River Lamanna High are not isolated; the entire West Bonner County District ranks in the bottom 19% of Idaho districts, suggesting broader systemic issues. For parents, this school offers a close-knit, small-town environment but faces clear obstacles in math achievement, attendance, and overall academic performance compared to state benchmarks.