Best Public Schools in Colonial Beach, VA

Colonial Beach, Virginia is served by three public schools—Washington District Elementary (PK–5, 415 students), Colonial Beach Elementary (PK–7, 367 students), and Colonial Beach High (8–12, 226 students)—together serving roughly 1,008 students across Westmoreland County Public Schools and Colonial Beach Public Schools. There is no standalone middle school; 6th and 7th grades are served by Colonial Beach Elementary, while high school begins at 8th grade. All three schools serve high-poverty populations, with free/reduced lunch rates near or above 90%, and generally rank in the middle range of Virginia schools.

Washington District Elementary stands out as the city's top-ranked elementary school (59th percentile of Virginia elementary schools). Its 3rd-grade math proficiency is 94.83%, far above the state's 74.04%, and its 3rd-grade reading (77.59%) also beats district and state averages—making it a bright spot within Westmoreland County Public Schools, which ranks at the 32nd percentile of Virginia districts. Colonial Beach Elementary posts the strongest middle-grade results in the city: 7th-grade math (82.5%) and reading (85%) far exceed state averages, and 5th-grade science (78.79%) also beats the state. However, its 3rd-grade reading (55.26%) lags well behind the state's 67.61%. Colonial Beach High achieves a perfect 100% graduation rate and 0% dropout rate, with perfect math proficiency in 9th-grade Geometry, but its 11th-grade reading (77.14%) sits 11 points below the state average.

Spending per student varies dramatically: Colonial Beach High spends $20,321, Washington District Elementary $12,519, and Colonial Beach Elementary just $5,715—yet the lower-spending elementary school still produces strong results. Chronic absenteeism at all three schools (13.7%–15.3%) is close to the state average of 14.8%, which is notable given the high-poverty demographics. The two elementary schools post nearly identical 5th-grade math scores (81.97% vs. 81.82%) despite belonging to different districts with different spending levels. Ranking trends show the high school improving from the 37th to 44th percentile, while Colonial Beach Elementary has slipped from the 51st to 45th percentile. For parents, the overall picture is mixed: excellent graduation outcomes and strong elementary math exist alongside concerning reading gaps at multiple grade levels.