8 of the Worst Schools In Virginia Today

There are many factors that go into the rating of a particular school district or school. The worst schools In Virginia today are in this category due to considerations like teacher-to-student ratios, graduation rates, academic scores, and other important markers for educational success. Since one’s education can have such a hand in their future success, the quality of the school they’re attending should absolutely be considered when examining district options and available resources. 

Note that these measures are not an indicator of the specific teachers, or staff who may work hard to set students up for success despite the failings of their district. The socio-economic stability of the area and access to, or lack of funding can play a large role in how well a district can provide a quality academic experience to its residents.

So, read on as we learn more about some of the worst schools in Virginia today. We’ll take a look at it from high school all the way through in-person middle, and elementary schools. Check out the metrics for an online school as well. Examine what kind of markers have placed these schools among the worst ranked in the State, and get a better idea of what kinds of things to look for in academic institutions. Let’s get into the rankings for the worst schools in Virginia today.

1. The Keystone School Online

11720 Plaza America Drive, 9th Floor, Reston, Virginia, 20190

Starting with The Keystone School which is an online program based out of Reston, Virginia. This K-12 program has a rating of D+ which is a grade based on the combined score of C- in Academics, C- in terms of Teachers, and B- in the context of college preparatory stats (via Niche). While the reviews are overall positive, and the motto of the school is to offer a flexible education, it simply does not meet the standards for being ranked among the better school options in the state of Virginia.

2. Cool Spring Elementary School

1450 Talley Avenue, Petersburg, VA 23803

Next up we have Cool Spring Elementary School which scores a solid D on the Niche ranking scale. It has a C- in Academics and Teaching, and a C+ in terms of Diversity rankings. They cater to grades kindergarten through fifth, with some 500+ students enrolled. The student-teacher ratio is around 15:1 but by state testing standards the academics are not very stellar. The reading proficiency stands around 32% with a 17% math proficiency.

3. Pleasants Lane Elementary School

100 Pleasants Lane, Petersburg, VA 23803

Pleasants Lane Elementary School has a D+ from Niche, with a C- in Academics, a C- in Teaching, and a B- in its Diversity rankings. Similar in size to Cool Spring, another Petersburg school, this elementary school has over 500 students and around 14:1 for its students-to-teacher ratio. The reading proficiency is the same in this school as the previous, however, the math proficiency falls five percent to 12% overall.

4. Peabody Middle School

3101 Homestead Drive, Petersburg, VA 23805

Peabody Middle School is another Petersburg school with a very low rating. It has the same D+ rating as the previous school based on the same factors of Academics, Teachers, and Diversity scores. With close to twice the students of the previous two schools, it serves grades 6th-9th grade with a 15:1 student-teacher ratio. It has a slightly higher testing percentage with 21% deemed proficient in math. It has a solid 47% proficiency in reading, which is still much lower than the best-rated public middle school in VA.

5. Lakemont Elementary School

51 Gibbon St. Petersburg, VA 23803

Lakemont Elementary School caters to grades K-5, with just under 500 students enrolled. It has a D+ rating on Niche with a C- in Academics, and C- in teaching, and a B in Diversity. This elementary school has a 17% proficiency in math and a 32% proficiency in reading.

6. Prince Edward Middle School

35 Eagle Drive, Farmville, VA 23901

Prince Edward Middle School serves grades 5th-8th with an overall score of D+ on Niche. It has a C- in Academics, a C- in Teaching, and an A- in terms of its Diversity representation. Test scores show a 47% proficiency in reading and a 23% proficiency in math with a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. There are a little under 600 students enrolled at Prince Edward Middle School.

7. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School

1000 Mosby St. Richmond, VA 23223

The Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School has a D- on the Niche website. This is a combined score of a C- in Academics, a C- in Teaching, and a C+ in Diversity categories. Compared to the other proficiency percentages, the test scores for this area show a 7% proficiency in reading and a 4% proficiency in math. It enrolls just over 500 students in grades 6th-8th and has a 11:1 student-teacher ratio.

8. Fairfield Court Elementary School

2510 Phaup St. Richmond, VA 23223

Another Richmond school, Fairfield Court Elementary School caters to preschool through fifth grade with a 12:1 student-teacher ratio. It has a C- in Academics, C- in Teaching, and C in Diversity scoring. State test scores indicate a 27% math proficiency and a 23% reading proficiency.

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