Best Public Schools in Hopewell, VA

Hopewell City Public Schools serves approximately 3,642 students across five schools in Hopewell, Virginia: three elementary schools (Dupont Elementary, Patrick Copeland Elementary, and Harry E. James Elementary), one middle school (Carter G. Woodson Middle), and one high school (Hopewell High). The district ranks 128 out of 131 Virginia districts, placing it in the 2nd percentile statewide. Nearly all students are economically disadvantaged, and chronic absenteeism is a districtwide concern, with every school exceeding the state average of 14.8%.

Among the elementary schools, Harry E. James Elementary is the clear standout. It ranks in the 18th percentile statewide — the highest in the district — and has improved steadily over three years. Its 4th-grade scores are particularly strong, with 66.15% proficiency in math and 78.57% in Virginia Studies, the latter exceeding the state average. James also has the lowest student-teacher ratio (11.3) and highest per-student spending ($12,840) in the district. By contrast, Patrick Copeland Elementary is the lowest-ranked school in Hopewell (5th percentile, 0 stars), and its 5th-grade math proficiency (31.76%) trails the state by over 40 points. Dupont Elementary ranks in the 10th percentile, though its 5th-grade science score (70%) is the only elementary subject in the district to beat the state average.

Carter G. Woodson Middle, the district's only middle school, shows a striking split: 100% of its 7th graders taking Algebra I are proficient, and 95–100% of 8th graders in Algebra I and Algebra II meet the bar, but grade-level math proficiency is much lower (30% in 6th grade and 37% in 7th grade). Hopewell High, ranked in the 4th percentile, has bright spots in upper-level history and some biology courses, but its graduation rate (85.1%) and dropout rate (8.0%) trail state averages. Chronic absenteeism is highest at Hopewell High (25.4%). The district's challenge is to scale its bright spots — James Elementary's 4th-grade approach and Woodson's advanced math program — into more consistent success across all grades.