Nottoway County Public Schools

Nottoway County Public Schools is a small, rural Virginia district serving 1,792 students across 5 schools — two primary schools, two middle schools, and one high school — in a high-poverty region where nearly every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The district ranks 102 out of 131 Virginia districts (22nd percentile) with a 1-star rating, and chronic absenteeism (17.5%) runs above the state average (14.8%), yet performance varies dramatically from school to school.

Crewe Primary is the district's clear standout, consistently earning 3–4 stars and ranking in the 67th–76th percentile of Virginia elementary schools. It beats the state in nearly every subject — 91.94% of 4th-graders passed math versus the state's 72.98% — despite serving the same high-poverty population as the rest of the district. By contrast, Nottoway Middle is the biggest concern: it ranks in the 5th percentile with 0 stars and is declining sharply. Only 12.77% of 7th-graders are proficient in math versus the state's 51.11%, and this is the district's highest-spending school at $10,582 per student.

Blackstone Primary is improving, rising from the 9th to the 25th percentile, but still trails state averages. Nottoway Intermediate struggles quietly, with 5th-grade science at 33.06% versus the state's 68.94%. Nottoway High posts a graduation rate of 92.9% and perfect scores in some upper-level courses, yet only 60.49% of 9th-graders pass Algebra I and chronic absenteeism is a troubling 27%. The contrast between Crewe and Blackstone — nearly identical schools with very different outcomes — proves high-poverty schools here can excel. The district's priorities are clear: replicate Crewe's success, fix middle school math, and tackle absenteeism.