Summary:
Fauquier County Public Schools operates four middle schools serving grades 6-8 across the Virginia communities of Bealeton, Warrenton, and Marshall. The district ranks 56th out of 131 Virginia districts, earning 3 stars. Auburn Middle stands out as the top performer, ranking 75th out of 416 Virginia middle schools with a 4-star rating and an 82nd percentile placement. Auburn posts the highest SOL proficiency average at 83%, the lowest chronic absenteeism at 7.9%, and the lowest free/reduced lunch rate at 14%. W.C. Taylor Middle follows as a consistent high performer, ranking 144th with 3 stars and strong reading scores across all grade levels, ranging from 76.5% to 79.7% in 2025-2026. Taylor also maintains low chronic absenteeism at 10.8% and a modest free/reduced lunch population at 24.4%.
Marshall Middle ranks 174th with 3 stars and spends the most per student at $13,401, while maintaining the lowest student-teacher ratio at 9.1:1. Despite these resources, Marshall does not outrank Auburn or Taylor, suggesting that higher spending and smaller class sizes alone do not guarantee better outcomes. Cedar Lee Middle, the largest school with 861 students, ranks lowest at 288th with a 2-star rating. It faces the highest chronic absenteeism at 18.9% and the highest economic disadvantage rate at 47.7% free/reduced lunch eligibility. However, Cedar Lee shows the most momentum: average SOL proficiency rose from 66.1% to 71.1%, and its state percentile climbed from 20th to 31st.
Advanced math is a district-wide strength, with three of four schools reporting 100% proficiency in Geometry and 7th-grade Algebra I in 2025-2026. Cedar Lee posts perfect scores in advanced math even while its standard math proficiency trails well behind. Across the district, school performance ordering aligns closely with economic disadvantage and attendance rates: Auburn has the lowest poverty and absenteeism, followed by Taylor, Marshall, and Cedar Lee. For parents, Auburn and Taylor are the strongest overall options, Marshall offers small classes and high spending but mid-tier results, and Cedar Lee represents a large school with real challenges but clear signs of improvement.
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