Best Public Schools in Ewing, VA

Ewing, Virginia has just two schools, both part of Lee County Public Schools (ranked 63 of 131 in Virginia with 3 stars): Thomas Walker High (grades 8-12, 291 students) and Elydale Middle (grades 5-7, 133 students). There are no elementary schools in Ewing, and nearly every student at both schools is economically disadvantaged.

Elydale Middle is the clear standout. It ranks 62nd of 416 Virginia middle schools (85th percentile, 4 stars) for 2025-2026, improving steadily from the 62nd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 78th percentile in 2024-2025. Its chronic absenteeism rate is just 1.5% — far below the district's 7.9% and the state's 14.8%. Reading proficiency in 6th and 7th grades is outstanding (88.9% and 87.8% vs. 73.0% statewide), and 7th grade math (75.6%) crushes the state average (51.1%). However, 5th grade proficiency lags state averages in math, reading, and science, meaning incoming students may need extra support. Thomas Walker High, by contrast, has shown flashy but uneven results: it jumped from the 47th percentile (2023-2024) to the 80th percentile (2024-2025), then dropped back to the 44th percentile (2025-2026). Its 90.7% graduation rate beats the district's 89.0% but trails the state's 92.3%, while its 3.7% dropout rate is better than both.

Attendance is a bright spot at both schools despite high poverty: 99.66% of Thomas Walker High and 98.5% of Elydale Middle students qualify for free/reduced lunch, yet chronic absenteeism is only 6.3% and 1.5%, respectively. Both schools have low student-teacher ratios (12.6 and 10.6) and strong per-pupil spending ($13,436 and $12,601). Thomas Walker High posts exceptional results in Algebra I (100% of 8th graders passed) and 8th-grade math (75.5% vs. 46.9% statewide), but 8th-grade science is a glaring weakness at 38.3% vs. 64.7% statewide. The two schools form a complementary pipeline: students move from a stable, high-achieving middle school into a high school with strong math and writing outcomes but inconsistent rankings and science gaps that Lee County Public Schools should address.