Summary:
Mathews County Public Schools in Virginia is home to just one elementary school, Mathews Elementary, which serves grades PK–5 with 281 students in a small, rural community setting. Because this is the only elementary school in the district, the school’s results are exactly the same as the district’s results, making its performance the complete story for elementary education in Mathews County Public Schools.
Mathews Elementary shows both bright spots and areas that need attention. The 4th grade is clearly the strongest, with students outperforming the state in math (82% vs. 73%), reading (84% vs. 74%), and Virginia Studies (84% vs. 71%) in 2025-2026. However, 3rd grade reading proficiency fell sharply to 62% (down from 78% the previous year), and 5th grade science (64%) and math (70%) also came in slightly below state averages. The school has earned a 3-star rating for three straight years, though its state percentile rank has fluctuated from 59th to 70th to 53rd, showing some inconsistency from year to year.
On a positive note, chronic absenteeism at 13.7% is lower than both the district (15.8%) and the state (14.8%), and the student-teacher ratio of 10.8 to 1 allows for relatively small classes. With 75% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, the school faces economic challenges, yet it still manages to post competitive scores in several areas, especially 4th grade. Per-student spending is $13,930, reflecting a meaningful investment in each child. For parents, Mathews Elementary offers a close-knit environment with strong 4th grade results, but the notable drop in 3rd grade reading suggests that early literacy support is an area to watch closely.
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