Summary:
Salem City Public Schools contains just one middle school — Andrew Lewis Middle — serving 839 students in grades 6 through 8 in the Salem City area of Virginia. The district ranks 30th out of 131 Virginia school divisions, placing it in the 77th percentile with a 4-star rating, while the school itself holds a 3-star rating and has slipped slightly in state rankings from the 65th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 59th percentile in 2025–2026. With a free/reduced lunch eligibility rate of 44.82% and a student-teacher ratio of 17.1:1, the school serves a community with a substantial share of economically disadvantaged students.
The school's greatest strength is mathematics, especially at advanced levels. Students in 7th grade Algebra I scored 100% proficient in 2025–2026, 8th grade Algebra I students reached 96.94%, and 8th grade Geometry also hit 100%. Grade-level math in 6th and 7th grades also beats the state by wide margins — 73.47% vs. 63.19% and 76.12% vs. 51.11% respectively. Reading scores, however, fall below the Salem City Public Schools district average in every grade, and 8th grade reading (72.19%) dips below the state average as well.
Several areas need attention. Most striking is an 8th grade math proficiency rate of just 51.82%, down sharply from 67.11% the prior year — a 15-point drop that may reflect changing course placements. Social studies also lags, with 7th grade civics at 68.23% vs. 70.10% statewide, and 8th grade geography at 64.79% vs. 69.79% statewide. Chronic absenteeism (12.4%) is above the district average though below the state average. For parents, Andrew Lewis Middle offers a strong accelerated math pathway but inconsistent results in grade-level math, reading, and social studies as students move through middle school.
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