The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Science. The lowest is 21% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hillcrest Elementary School
Hillcrest Elementary sits on Boise's south side, part of the Boise Independent District, serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, drawing from the surrounding neighborhood in a city that functions as Idaho's capital and economic engine.
Boise itself is a mix of government center, technology hub, and residential city. Major employers like Micron Technology, Albertsons, and J.R. Simplot anchor the local economy, and Boise State University sits adjacent to downtown. The Boise River Greenbelt threads through the city, and the downtown core concentrates restaurants, cultural venues, and civic institutions. Outside that walkable center, the city is largely auto-oriented, with suburban-style development in the foothills and outer areas. The broader Treasure Valley has grown substantially through sustained in-migration, with technology investment driving much of the expansion.
The school's enrollment is modest for an elementary spanning pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which marks Hillcrest as serving a high-poverty community relative to many Idaho schools. The student body is majority white, with a sizable Hispanic presence and a smaller but meaningful Black population. Students identifying as Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native, or two or more races make up the remainder. Data on English learners and students receiving special education services was not available, so those proportions cannot be described here.
On state assessments, Hillcrest's results are generally low. Math proficiency across the upper elementary grades sits well below what most families would hope to see, with only sixth grade reaching a somewhat higher level. English language arts is more uneven: one grade landed in a higher range, while another had its results suppressed into a broad band that could span from very low to moderate. Science proficiency for fifth graders fell in a middling range. Participation rates and average scale scores were not reported in the data provided, so a fuller picture of student engagement and performance depth is not available. A parent weighing these results may want to ask the school directly about its improvement plans and how it supports students working below grade level.
The housing market around Hillcrest reflects Boise's broader growth story. Home values in the school's zip code sit below the state benchmark but above the national one, and the price-to-income ratio is elevated, meaning buyers need a relatively strong income to purchase. Rents are more moderate by comparison, and the gap between a monthly rent payment and a monthly mortgage is wide, which pushes many families toward renting. Home values have dipped slightly of late, while rents have risen.
Several pieces of information that would help round out a parent's understanding were absent from the available data. The school's locale classification, Title I status, discipline data, course access details, staffing ratios, and attendance patterns were not provided. Programs offered by the school were not listed. Civil rights data was empty. The district brief for Boise Independent District turned up little on recent parent-relevant changes. These gaps mean the portrait here rests primarily on assessment results, demographics, and housing context. A family considering Hillcrest would benefit from visiting the school, asking about instructional approach and intervention supports, and talking with current families about day-to-day culture and climate.
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