Best Public Schools in Zip Code 99181

The 99181 zip code area is home to 3 schools, including 2 elementary schools and 1 high school. The standout school in this area is Columbia Virtual Academy, a virtual elementary school that significantly outperforms the district and state averages in academic proficiency, particularly in English Language Arts and Science. In contrast, the other elementary school, Valley School, lags behind the district and state in most subject areas.

The high school in the area, Paideia High School, has a strong 4-year graduation rate of 84.6% and a 0% dropout rate, but its academic performance in 10th-grade English Language Arts is mixed, falling below the state average but above the Valley School District average. The schools in this area also serve student populations with varying racial/ethnic compositions and economic backgrounds, which may contribute to the performance disparities.

Interestingly, the significant differences in spending per student across the schools do not necessarily translate to better academic outcomes. For example, Valley School spends nearly four times more per student than Columbia Virtual Academy, yet the virtual school outperforms the other schools in the area. The low student-teacher ratio at Paideia High School may be a factor in its strong graduation and dropout rates, despite its lower test scores compared to the state.