Best Public Schools in Hardy, VA

Hardy, Virginia is served by a single school, Windy Gap Elementary, which is part of Franklin County Public Schools and serves students in grades PK through 5 with an enrollment of 391 students. As the only school in the city, Windy Gap Elementary is the sole educational option for families in this area, and it has established itself as a strong academic performer both within its district and across the state. The school currently holds a 4-star rating, and its state ranking has climbed dramatically from the 69th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 81st percentile in 2025–2026.

Windy Gap Elementary outperformed the Virginia state average in every subject and grade level during the 2025–2026 school year. The 5th grade is a particularly exceptional bright spot, with math proficiency at 97.92% compared to 72.39% statewide, science proficiency at 95.83% compared to 68.75% statewide, and reading at 91.67% compared to 72.42% statewide. Students in 3rd grade are also performing well, with 89.09% proficiency in math and 80.00% in reading, both well above state averages. The school also outperformed its district in all but two 4th grade subjects, with overall average proficiency across all eight reported SOL tests at approximately 87%.

One of the most notable takeaways is that Windy Gap Elementary achieves these strong results while serving a student population in which nearly 87% qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school also maintains a chronic absenteeism rate of 12.3%, better than both the district rate of 15.4% and the state rate of 14.8%. While 4th grade is the relative weak point, with math proficiency at 77.94% and reading at 75.00% — both slightly below district averages — the school has demonstrated strong year-over-year improvement in most areas, including an 18-point jump in 5th grade science proficiency and a 13-point jump in 3rd grade math. With a student-teacher ratio of 15:1 and spending per student of $10,283, Windy Gap Elementary is clearly delivering a high-quality education for families in Hardy.