The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 25% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Shoshone Joint District
Shoshone Joint District is a small, rural Idaho district serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across four schools: Shoshone Elementary, Shoshone Middle, Shoshone High, and High Desert. The total enrollment is modest, with roughly a dozen students per grade in the upper grades and slightly larger elementary cohorts. The student body is majority Hispanic, with a White minority and very small Asian, Black, American Indian, and Pacific Islander populations. The district sits in Lincoln County, with Shoshone itself being the dominant community in its attendance area.
On state assessments for the most recent year, proficiency results varied widely by grade and subject. In English language arts, the third and fifth grades showed moderate proficiency, with fifth grade reaching about half of tested students scoring proficient or above. Fourth grade and seventh grade ELA results were notably lower, with roughly a fifth and roughly a quarter of students reaching proficiency, respectively. Several grades had suppressed counts, a common situation for small districts where reporting exact numbers could identify individual students, so those results appear as ranges rather than precise figures. The ranges for sixth and eighth grade ELA suggest outcomes could stretch from very low up to moderate. In math, fifth grade landed near two-fifths proficient, while seventh grade was lower, at about a quarter. Third, fourth, sixth, and eighth grade math results were reported as ranges, with the upper ends varying considerably. Science was tested in fifth and eighth grade, with eighth grade showing about a quarter of students proficient and fifth grade reported as a range. Across subjects and grades, the pattern is one of inconsistency, with some bright spots and several grades where most students did not reach proficiency. A parent considering this district may want to look into how the schools support students who fall below grade level and what interventions are in place.
The district's demographic and economic data has gaps. Free or reduced-price lunch counts were not reported, and figures for English learners and students with individualized education programs were not available. Without these, it is hard to gauge the full scope of need the district is addressing or how resources are allocated to vulnerable populations.
Housing in the district is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks. The weighted typical home value sits well below the Idaho statewide figure and modestly below the national figure, with the Shoshone zip code carrying the largest weight in the calculation. Rent data was available for only one contributing zip code, Jerome, and the rent level there is moderate. The price-to-income ratio suggests homeownership is within reach for many local families compared to much of the country, and rent costs appear manageable relative to income. Home values in the Shoshone zip code showed a slight uptick over the past year, while the broader district-weighted figure rose modestly as well.
Public records show that voters in Lincoln County approved a supplemental levy renewal in the November 2024 election, continuing a similar levy that passed in 2022. This levy provides a substantial share of the district's general fund revenue, making it a recurring property-tax obligation for residents and a lifeline for district operations. The district's reliance on voter-approved supplemental funding means that local community support directly shapes what the schools can offer.
Several data sections were absent. No graduation rate was provided, which limits the picture of how well the district moves high school students through to completion. No civil rights data on discipline, course access, or staffing was available, so questions about school climate and resource allocation cannot be answered from this data. Program offerings such as Advanced Placement, dual credit, or career-technical pathways were not reported, leaving an open question about what advanced or specialized options exist for high school students. No locale brief was provided, so community context beyond housing figures is limited.
What the data does show is a small, majority-Hispanic rural district with affordable housing, mixed and sometimes low state test results, and a funding model that depends on local voter support. Families drawn to a small-town setting with close-knit cohorts may find a fit here, particularly if they are willing to engage directly with the schools about academic support and program availability, since the public data leaves much of that story untold.
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