Summary:
The Hopewell City Public Schools district includes three elementary schools — Dupont Elementary, Patrick Copeland Elementary, and Harry E. James Elementary — all serving grades K-5 with enrollments between 535 and 589 students, in a district ranked 128th out of 131 Virginia school divisions.
Harry E. James Elementary is the clear standout in this group. It holds the district's highest state ranking at 914 out of 1,111 elementary schools, with an average SOL proficiency around 58.6% across tested subjects. Its 4th-grade Virginia Studies score of 78.57% actually exceeds the state average of 70.52%, and it also posts the best per-pupil spending ($12,840) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (11.3:1). Dupont Elementary is a mid-tier performer with one notable bright spot: its 5th-grade science proficiency of 70% tops the state average of 68.75% and far outpaces the district average of 54.68%. Patrick Copeland Elementary ranks lowest at 1,052nd, with zero stars, but does lead the district in 3rd-grade reading at 56.04% and has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 18.4%.
All three schools serve a very high-need population, with free/reduced lunch rates at or above 100%, and all exceed the state's chronic absenteeism rate of 14.8%. Academic gaps relative to the state are significant — district math averages hover around 47-48% compared to the state's 73%. Year-over-year, Harry E. James improved its overall SOL average by nearly 5 points, and Dupont saw a remarkable 18.4-point jump in 5th-grade science. Patrick Copeland was essentially flat overall, with a sharp drop in 5th-grade math. While all three schools face substantial challenges, Harry E. James stands out as the strongest, and Dupont shows that targeted success is possible in individual subjects.
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