Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 5 schools in district

HILLCREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

1045 BENNETT STREET, AMERICAN FALLS, ID 83211AMERICAN FALLS JOINT DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–02Non-Charter
374
Students
Total enrolled
$11,857
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 17% vs nat'l
16.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 6% vs nat'l
45/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 374 students in grades PK–02 in AMERICAN FALLS, Idaho.
17% below average funding
District spends $11,857 per pupil, 17% less than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 45th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

HILLCREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a mid-sized elementary in AMERICAN FALLS, Idaho, serving grades PK–02 with 374 students. The district invests $11,857 per student — 17% below the national average of $14,347, with a 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 69% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at HILLCREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

374
Total Students
16.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
69%
Free Lunch
23
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–02) are served by this school
Gender Distribution175 male · 199 female
47%
53%
Male 47%Female 53%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility69%
National avg 52% · 258 students
Student Composition
46%
51%
White46%
Hispanic / Latino51%
Native American2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 160006000005

Academic Outcomes at HILLCREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
45
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 45th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 59th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 83211

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,857Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,857
State avg
$12,804
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,217
Student Support$2,253
Administration$1,423
Operations$1,778
Other$1,186
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,857 spent per student, an estimated $5,252 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
54%
23%
State government
53.9%
Local (property tax)
22.9%
Federal programs
23.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
J.R. SIMPLOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
↓
Middle
WILLIAM THOMAS MIDDLE SCHOOL
↓
High School
AMERICAN FALLS HIGH SCHOOLAMERICAN FALLS ACADEMY
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 02
Location—
CountyPower County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAMERICAN FALLS JOINT DISTRICT →
Phone: (208)226-2391
NCES ID: 160006000005
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in AMERICAN FALLS seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in AMERICAN FALLS JOINT DISTRICT
High
AMERICAN FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
452 students · 09–12
● 45 opp49% FRL
Elem
J.R. SIMPLOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
362 students · 03–05
● 45 opp69% FRL
Mid
WILLIAM THOMAS MIDDLE SCHOOL
351 students · 06–08
● 45 opp58% FRL
High
AMERICAN FALLS ACADEMY
33 students · 06–12
● 45 opp58% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1045 BENNETT STREET, AMERICAN FALLS, ID 83211
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.