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Independence Elementary

Q: Is Independence Elementary a good school?

Independence Elementary ranks 730 th of 1110 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

730^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,110 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 34% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Independence Elementary is a public elementary school located in Independence, Virginia, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 301 students. The school is part of the Grayson County Public Schools district, which is ranked 26 out of 129 school districts in Virginia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Independence Elementary faces several challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 11.4% to 19.3% over the past few years, which is higher than the nearby Grayson Highlands (15.7%) and Fairview Elementary (15.7%) schools. The school's test scores in Mathematics, Science, and English Reading are generally lower than the Grayson County Public Schools district and the state of Virginia averages, with particularly concerning performance in English Reading, where the 3rd grade proficiency rate was only 56.6% in 2024-2025, compared to the district's 69.23% and the state's 66.93%.

Independence Elementary also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 73.53% to 92.03% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the nearby Grayson Highlands (94.37%), Fairview Elementary (93.88%), and Fries Elementary (91.88%) schools. Comparing the school's performance to nearby schools within and outside the Grayson County Public Schools district highlights the need for targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes at Independence Elementary.

287

Students ?

12.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,651

Per pupil spending ?

93%

Free/discounted lunch ?

915 E Main St
Independence, VA 24348-0429

(276) 773-2722

District: Grayson County Public Schools

Students who attend Independence Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Independence Middle
High:	Grayson County High

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.0%

Hispanic:

12.9%

Two or more races:

4.5%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 85th percentile in 2015 → 34th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Virginia average (65% vs 71% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 51 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school65%

District avg74%

Virginia avg71%

730^th of 1,110

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 34%▼ down 51 pts since 2015

From top 15% (2015) to bottom 34% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 4Elementary Schools in the Grayson County Public Schools

26^th of 129Grayson County Public Schools among Virginia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	38.7	730 of 1110	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.2	724 of 1114	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	62.5	440 of 1114	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	69.8	359 of 1109	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	71.2	324 of 1103	70.6%	★★★★☆
2019	64.1	434 of 1105	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.5	574 of 1097	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	63.4	409 of 1099	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	71.9	278 of 1096	74.6%	★★★★☆
2015	79.1	163 of 1100	85.2%	★★★★☆
2014	54.6	530 of 1110	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2013	29.8	883 of 1120	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	43.6	727 of 1117	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	44.7	722 of 1117	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	24.2	995 of 1113	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	32.3	893 of 1082	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	30.5	890 of 1081	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	21.7	982 of 1083	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	26.8	935 of 1071	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	25.5	917 of 1062	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	27.4	858 of 1096	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.2	769 of 1098	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.4	570 of 1100	48.2%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2023	35.2	400 of 564	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	45.1	597 of 1046	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.2	538 of 1036	48.1%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	52.4	548 of 1093	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.1	642 of 1101	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	71.8	292 of 1093	73.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	15.3	893 of 973	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	25.0	804 of 979	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	43.7	614 of 984	37.6%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Male (2025)50th percentile+16 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)43rd percentile+9 vs school

Hispanic (2023)29th percentile-31 vs school

Female (2025)22nd percentile-13 vs school

White (2025)8th percentile-26 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics70%~ state avg

English Reading65%-6 vs state

Science64%-5 vs state

VA Studies55%-14 vs state

★

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Schools Near Independence Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SOL Mathematics (2025)					SOL Science (2025)	SOL English Reading (2025)					SOL Civics and Economics (2025)	SOL VA Studies (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Independence Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	915 E Main St	Independence	24348	Grayson County	Grayson County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 773-2722	287	23	12.5	93.0%	224 (78.0%)	12 (4.2%)	37 (12.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.5%)	38.7	730^th of 1110 public elementary schools	34.2%		40.2	724^th of 1114 public elementary schools	35.0%	6	69.8	65.9	74.0			64.0	56.6	70.5	68.0				54.6	$8,651	$1,874	$6,777
Fries Elementary	Public	PK, KG-7	114 E Main St	Fries	24330	Grayson County	Grayson County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 744-7201	231	25	9.0	95.7%	207 (89.6%)	3 (1.3%)	10 (4.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.3%)	59.9	475^th of 1110 public elementary schools	57.2%		47	647^th of 1114 public elementary schools	41.9%	172	78.8	75.0	83.8	78.6	72.2	75.7	64.7	75.0	73.0	71.4	66.7	77.8	65.0	$13,383	$2,176	$11,207
Galax Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	300 McArthur Street	Galax	24333	Galax city	Galax City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 236-6159	667	49	13.6	99.7%	394 (59.1%)	26 (3.9%)	210 (31.5%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.1%)	37.8	743^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	33.1%		51.3	596^th of 1114 public elementary schools	46.5%	147	68.6	68.4	68.6			59.1	62.1	70.2	62.0				64.5	$9,432	$1,760	$7,672
Fairview Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2323 Fairview Rd	Galax	24333	Grayson County	Grayson County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 236-2365	146	14	10.5	94.5%	128 (87.7%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.1%)	84.7	127^th of 1110 public elementary schools	88.6%		71.5	327^th of 1114 public elementary schools	70.6%	200	93.3	90.5	83.3			80.0	93.1	85.7	93.3				81.0	$11,444	$1,926	$9,518
Speedwell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6820 Cedar Springs Rd	Speedwell	24374	Wythe County	Wythe County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 621-4622	123	12	9.9	82.1%	116 (94.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	67.1	391^st of 1110 public elementary schools	64.8%		58.3	506^th of 1114 public elementary schools	54.6%	115	87.0	100.0	72.2				69.6	94.1	55.6				82.4	$11,315	$2,711	$8,604
Grayson Highlands	Public	PK, KG-7	6459 Troutdale Hwy.	Troutdale	24378	Grayson County	Grayson County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 579-2235	156	15	10.6	95.5%	141 (90.4%)	3 (1.9%)	6 (3.8%)	3 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	71.8	327^th of 1110 public elementary schools	70.5%		74.8	283^rd of 1114 public elementary schools	74.6%	44	78.6	80.0	88.2	85.0	100.0	76.5	78.6	73.3	76.5	95.0	83.3	83.3	66.7	$11,735	$1,203	$10,532
Gladeville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3117 Glendale Rd	Galax	24333	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 236-5449	259	19	13.9	91.1%	203 (78.4%)	6 (2.3%)	41 (15.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.5%)	46.3	650^th of 1110 public elementary schools	41.4%		36.9	765^th of 1114 public elementary schools	31.3%	115	78.4	74.2	74.5			46.8	70.3	74.2	63.8				71.0	$8,635	$1,078	$7,557
Oakland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4930 Pipers Gap Road	Galax	24333	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 236-3049	196	16	12.2	92.9%	148 (75.5%)	3 (1.5%)	37 (18.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.1%)	56.9	517^th of 1110 public elementary schools	53.4%		55	558^th of 1114 public elementary schools	49.9%	41	74.1	68.0	57.6			74.3	74.1	84.0	79.4				75.0	$10,431	$899	$9,532
Sugar Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	242 Teas Rd	Sugar Grove	24375	Smyth County	Smyth County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 677-3311	88	11	8.1	95.5%	85 (96.6%)	2 (2.3%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	64.5	429^th of 1110 public elementary schools	61.4%		63.9	439^th of 1114 public elementary schools	60.6%	10	81.8	92.3	71.4			57.1	90.9	84.6	71.4				76.9	$15,481	$3,472	$12,008
Laurel Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	26 Pleasant View Road	Austinville	24312	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 728-9247	199	17	11.6	91.5%	186 (93.5%)	4 (2.0%)	5 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.0%)	48	627^th of 1110 public elementary schools	43.5%		61.8	467^th of 1114 public elementary schools	58.1%	160	79.2	73.5	71.4			74.3	54.2	73.5	68.6				58.8	$9,187	$719	$8,468

Frequently Asked Questions about Independence Elementary

What schools do graduates of Independence Elementary attend?

Students who attend Independence Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Independence Middle
High : Grayson County High

Is Independence Elementary a good school?

Independence Elementary ranks 730^th of 1110 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Independence Elementary?

Students at Independence Elementary are 78% White, 13% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% African American.

What district is Independence Elementary in?

Grayson County Public Schools

How many students attend Independence Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 287 students attended Independence Elementary.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.