Summary:
New Baltimore, Virginia is served by a single school: C. Hunter Ritchie Elementary, a PK-5 elementary school with 525 students in the Fauquier County Public Schools district. C. Hunter Ritchie Elementary is a high-performing school, ranking 141st out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools in 2025-2026, placing it in the 87th percentile with a 4-star rating. The district itself is ranked 56th of 131 districts in Virginia. The school's state ranking has improved dramatically over three years, climbing from 254th in 2023-2024, to 320th in 2024-2025, and then surging to 141st in 2025-2026.
Academically, C. Hunter Ritchie Elementary consistently outperforms both its district and the state in every subject and grade level. In 2025-2026, reading proficiency exceeded 89% in every grade, with 5th graders reaching 93.06% - roughly 20 percentage points above district and state averages. Mathematics is equally impressive, with 4th-grade reaching 95.35% proficiency and 5th-grade at 90.28%, compared to state averages near 73%. Science, while the school's relative weak spot, still outperforms the state by over 10 percentage points at 79.17%. Year-over-year, the school has shown improvement in most areas, including a 15-point jump in 5th-grade math and a nearly 10-point gain in 3rd-grade reading.
The school also benefits from strong engagement and supportive conditions. Its chronic absenteeism rate is just 6.5%, less than half the state average of 14.8%. Only 18.48% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, reflecting a relatively advantaged population. The school spends $11,025 per student and maintains a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio, allowing for meaningful individualized attention. For parents considering this area, C. Hunter Ritchie Elementary offers consistently strong academics, a stable learning environment, and a track record of improvement.
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