Middle Schools in Augusta County Public Schools

The five middle schools in Augusta County Public Schools serve grades 6 through 8 across Wilson Middle, S. Gordon Stewart Middle, Stuarts Draft Middle, Riverheads Middle, and Buffalo Gap Middle, with a combined enrollment of 2,321 students and school sizes ranging from 285 to 641. The district ranks 75th out of 131 Virginia districts, placing it at the 43rd percentile with a 2-star rating. All five schools have high economic need, with free/reduced-price lunch rates ranging from 58.25% to 68.60%, and chronic absenteeism ranging from 12.0% at Buffalo Gap to 20.4% at Stuarts Draft.

Riverheads Middle is the clear academic leader, earning a 3-star state rank (127th of 416, 69th percentile) and the highest SOL proficiency across nearly every subject, with a 75.6% unweighted average and reading scores at or above state levels in all three grades. Wilson Middle, the largest school at 641 students, posts perfect Algebra I proficiency and the district's top civics score, but its overall rank slipped to the 45th percentile. Stuarts Draft Middle is the most improved school, rising from the 38th to the 48th percentile, though it carries the district's highest chronic absenteeism rate. S. Gordon Stewart Middle has the highest poverty rate and per-student spending but only ranks 42nd. Buffalo Gap Middle ranks last at the 25th percentile despite having the best attendance and smallest class sizes.

Several patterns stand out for parents. Every school posts near-perfect Algebra I scores (97.56% to 100%), yet grade-level 8th grade math proficiency is dramatically lower, ranging from 32.88% at Buffalo Gap to 59.64% at Wilson, suggesting Algebra I is a selective advanced track. Across the district, 8th grade math is a clear weak spot with wide gaps between schools. Chronic absenteeism does not predict performance: Buffalo Gap and Riverheads have the lowest rates but finish at opposite ends academically, while Stuarts Draft improved despite its 20.4% rate. Likewise, smaller class sizes have not translated into higher scores. Overall, Riverheads stands out as the strongest school, Wilson and Stuarts Draft are solid mid-tier options, and Buffalo Gap represents the district's biggest academic concern.