Summary:
The city of Ferrum, Virginia is served by a single public school, Ferrum Elementary, which enrolls 281 students in grades PK–5 under the Franklin County Public Schools district. With nearly 89% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, the school serves a high-poverty community, yet it maintains a favorable 12.7 student–teacher ratio and a chronic absenteeism rate (13.8%) that is better than both the district (15.4%) and the state (14.8%).
In 2025–2026, Ferrum Elementary posted an overall SOL proficiency rate of 74.79%, above the state average of 71.59% but below the district's 78.18%. The school's biggest strength is 5th-grade science, where 86.54% of students were proficient—about 9 points above the district and 18 points above the state. Upper-grade reading is also solid, with 5th-grade reading at 78.85%, above both district and state averages. The clear concern is 3rd-grade reading, which fell a dramatic 17.5 points in one year to 63.04%, now below both the district (68.65%) and state (67.61%). Third-grade math also dropped nearly 14 points to 73.91%. These swings suggest significant cohort-to-cohort variability in a small school.
Ferrum Elementary's state ranking has slipped from the 63rd percentile in 2023–2024 to the 55th percentile in 2025–2026, even though the district ranks in the 71st percentile. The gap between the school and district widened from about one point to 3.4 points in a year. For parents, the picture is mixed: the school excels in science and upper-grade reading despite high poverty, but early-grade reading and math need urgent attention, particularly the 3rd-grade reading decline. The low student–teacher ratio provides a good foundation for targeted interventions, and attendance is strong. Overall, Ferrum Elementary is a school with clear bright spots and clear challenges, and early literacy should be the top priority for the coming year.
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