The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hazel Stuart Elementary School
Hazel Stuart Elementary sits in Shelley, a small agricultural city in Bingham County about ten miles south of Idaho Falls. The school serves only fifth and sixth grades, which makes it something of a bridge campus, catching students between their earlier elementary years and middle school. Shelley Joint District operates six schools within the city, and Hazel Stuart is one of them. The town's identity is tied closely to potato farming. Shelley has hosted the Idaho Annual Spud Day for generations, and the school calendar historically includes a two-week Spud Harvest break so students can help bring in the crop. The city's own website describes a relaxed, hometown atmosphere, and the schools are woven into that civic fabric rather than sitting on isolated campuses.
Academically, the most recent Idaho ISAT results paint a mixed picture. In English language arts, roughly half of fifth graders and a comparable share of sixth graders demonstrated proficiency, which stands as the school's relative bright spot. Science results for fifth grade, the only grade tested at this school, were in a similar range. Math is where the school struggles most. Fifth grade math proficiency fell below the halfway mark, and sixth grade math dropped further. The gap between ELA and math is consistent across both grades. A parent weighing this school may want to look into how math instruction is structured and what support structures exist for students working below grade level, particularly as they prepare to transition to middle school.
The school does not have a graduation rate, AP course offerings, or career and dual-credit pathways. That is not a gap or a deficiency. It reflects the grade band. Hazel Stuart serves fifth and sixth graders, and those programs belong to the high school level. The same applies to college readiness metrics. State testing is the primary academic window available here, and the school participates in the ISAT in math, ELA, and science at the grades the state requires.
Enrollment is moderate for a two-grade school. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic minority and very small numbers of students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which gives a sense of the community's economic profile. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported in the available sources, so those figures are left out here rather than estimated.
The broader community context is one of steady growth. Shelley's population has been climbing since the prior census, and a new elementary school was under construction per the city's website, pointing to ongoing investment in school infrastructure. The town is compact, with State Street serving as the main commercial corridor. A notable amenity is the Shelley Greenbelt, a fully paved two-mile trail that begins near the fire department, follows the Snake River, and ends at North Bingham County Park. The city also maintains four parks. Walkability is limited outside the downtown corridor and greenbelt, which is typical for a small Idaho farming town.
Housing in the Shelley area is more affordable than the Idaho state benchmark, though values sit above the national figure. Home prices have been rising at a modest pace year over year. Rent data was not available for this location. The price-to-income ratio suggests that buying a home here is within reach for many working families compared to much of the state, though current mortgage rates add pressure to monthly costs.
The district brief turned up little in the way of recently reported changes to programs, boundaries, or leadership that would affect parents. That does not mean nothing is happening, only that the search did not surface lasting, parent-relevant shifts. The new elementary school under construction is the most concrete sign of district-level change, and it may eventually reshape enrollment patterns at schools like Hazel Stuart.
What Hazel Stuart offers is a small, community-rooted intermediate school experience in a town where agriculture and family life are tightly linked. Its ELA and science results are reasonable, while math is the area a family would want to probe. The Spud Harvest break is a genuine local tradition that shapes the rhythm of the school year. For parents who value a close-knit, rural-to-small-town setting with strong community ties, this is a school worth visiting and asking direct questions about math support.
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