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Amherst Middle

Q: Is Amherst Middle a good school?

Amherst Middle ranks 215 th of 416 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend Amherst Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 371 students attended Amherst Middle.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Amherst Middle?

Students at Amherst Middle are 70% White, 15% African American, 9% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 1% American Indian.

Q: What high school do graduates of Amherst Middle attend?

Students who attend Amherst Middle usually go on to attend Amherst County High

Public Grades 6-8

215^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 416 Virginia Middle Schools

Better than 48% of Virginia middle schools

Summary

Amherst Middle serves 371 students in grades 6–8 in Amherst, Virginia, and is part of Amherst County Public Schools. The district overall ranks in the bottom third of Virginia, but Amherst Middle itself places at the 48th percentile statewide — 215th out of 416 Virginia middle schools for 2025–2026. The school serves a high-poverty population, with 82.75% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and has a student-teacher ratio of 12.9.

Amherst Middle posts standout results in 8th grade and advanced math. Eighth grade math proficiency is 73.24% versus 46.86% statewide, while 8th grade science (80.34%) and geography (80.67%) also far exceed state averages. Advanced math is a clear strength, with 100% proficiency in Algebra I and Geometry. Amherst Middle is also the strongest school in Amherst County, substantially outperforming Monelison Middle, which ranks 294th statewide. It also beats the nearby Lynchburg schools — Sandusky Middle, Linkhorne Middle, and Dunbar Middle — by a wide margin. For example, 73.24% of Amherst 8th graders pass math versus just 10.28% to 36.67% at those schools. However, 6th and 7th grade math remain below state averages, suggesting the standard math pathway has room for growth.

One of the school's biggest success stories is chronic absenteeism, which has fallen from 24.3% in 2020–2021 to 14.0% in 2024–2025 — matching the state average of 14.8%. Amherst Middle also shows notable strength serving African American students, ranking at the 72nd percentile for that group, and spends $11,028 per student, higher than most nearby schools. A useful comparison is Nelson Middle, about 13.5 miles away, which serves a similarly high-poverty population but ranks higher (132nd statewide) and outperforms Amherst in most subjects. Amherst Middle is a solid mid-tier school with genuine bright spots, but continued attention to grade-level math in 6th and 7th grades and outcomes for some student groups will be important going forward.

371

Students ?

12.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,028

Per pupil spending ?

82.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

165 Gordons Fairground Rd
Amherst, VA 24521

(434) 946-0691

District: Amherst County Public Schools

Students who attend Amherst Middle usually attend:

High:

Amherst County High

Feeder schools for Amherst Middle:

Elementary:	Amherst Elementary
	Central Elementary
	Temperance Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

69.5%

African American:

14.6%

Two or more races:

9.2%

See top rated Virginia middle schools

Compare Amherst Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 49th percentile in 2016 → 48th in 2026

Worth a look

!Civics and Economics scores 11 pts below the Virginia average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school71%

District avg66%

Virginia avg69%

215^th of 416

Virginia public middle schools ?

Bottom 48%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2Middle Schools in the Amherst County Public Schools

93^rd of 131Amherst County Public Schools among Virginia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	53.2	215 of 416	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	58.0	188 of 419	55.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.3	187 of 417	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.6	209 of 422	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	43.3	232 of 415	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	28.9	303 of 419	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	58.1	165 of 424	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.4	157 of 413	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2017	54.7	176 of 415	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	48.7	210 of 409	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2015	49.3	202 of 412	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	45.7	224 of 416	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2013	43.0	235 of 416	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2012	40.1	274 of 413	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2011	36.5	306 of 413	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	47.2	222 of 408	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	41.2	254 of 390	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2008	36.9	282 of 391	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	30.0	334 of 387	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	30.7	315 of 383	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	36.9	265 of 340	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	67.7	83 of 297	72.1%	★★★★☆
2025	56.4	125 of 297	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.8	114 of 299	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.2	91 of 298	69.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	49.8	230 of 409	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	60.2	169 of 403	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.6	148 of 407	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.8	207 of 411	49.6%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	54.3	179 of 401	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	57.3	171 of 403	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.2	121 of 402	69.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	55.9	193 of 410	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.3	183 of 404	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.7	207 of 407	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.2	208 of 409	49.1%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	53.2	124 of 249	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.4	47 of 244	80.7%	★★★★☆
2023	46.0	125 of 231	45.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	43.9	248 of 400	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	48.6	224 of 400	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.5	222 of 396	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.7	296 of 402	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2026)72nd percentile+24 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)55th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)53rd percentile+5 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)50th percentile~ school

Female (2026)44th percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)38th percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Geometry100%+3 vs state

Algebra I100%+5 vs state

Geography81%+12 vs state

Science80%+16 vs state

English Reading71%~ state avg

Mathematics60%+5 vs state

Civics and Economics59%-11 vs state

★

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Schools Near Amherst Middle

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SOL Geometry (2026)	SOL Algebra I (2026)		SOL Algebra II (2026)	SOL Mathematics (2026)			SOL Science (2026)	SOL Earth Science (2026)	SOL English Reading (2026)			SOL Geography (2026)	SOL Civics and Economics (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Algebra II 8th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL Geography 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Amherst Middle	Public	6-8	165 Gordons Fairground Rd	Amherst	24521	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 946-0691	371	29	12.9	82.7%	258 (69.5%)	54 (14.6%)	19 (5.1%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (9.2%)	53.2	215^th of 416 public middle schools	48.3%		58	188^th of 419 public middle schools	55.1%	27	100.0	100.0	100.0		57.4	50.7	73.2	80.3		67.0	73.0	72.9	80.7	59.5		$11,028	$176	$10,852
Monelison Middle	Public	6-8	257 Trojan Rd	Madison Heights	24572	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 846-1307	469	40	11.6	82.5%	277 (59.1%)	114 (24.3%)	29 (6.2%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.1%)	2 (0.4%)	41 (8.7%)	38	294^th of 416 public middle schools	29.3%		26.7	342^nd of 419 public middle schools	18.4%	48		100.0	98.0		59.4	37.4	50.5	52.8		66.2	75.5	70.6	61.9	64.1		$9,932	$177	$9,755
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation	Public, Magnet	6-8	1200 1208 Polk St	Lynchburg	24504	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(434) 515-5310	531	46	11.5	97.2%	165 (31.1%)	249 (46.9%)	66 (12.4%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (8.9%)	13	386^th of 416 public middle schools	7.2%		14.5	384^th of 419 public middle schools	8.4%	2		543.0	92.3	413.0	40.4	10.6	36.7	17.4	81.3	61.1	57.1	54.6	44.1	56.0	≥ 50%	$10,988	$948	$10,040
Nelson Middle	Public	6-8	6925 Thomas Nelson Highway	Lovingston	22949	Nelson County	Nelson County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 263-4801	328	29	11.4	85.1%	224 (68.3%)	34 (10.4%)	51 (15.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.2%)	66.3	132^nd of 416 public middle schools	68.3%		67.1	131^st of 419 public middle schools	68.7%	1	100.0	100.0	100.0		75.3	67.9	85.5	75.4		73.8	78.5	78.3	69.6	76.3		$13,298	$1,181	$12,117
Linkhorne Middle	Public	6-8	2525 Linkhorne Dr	Lynchburg	24503	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 515-5330	519	44	11.7	94.6%	186 (35.8%)	247 (47.6%)	35 (6.7%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (8.9%)	12.1	389^th of 416 public middle schools	6.5%		10.7	392^nd of 419 public middle schools	6.4%	3		517.0	90.2	100.0	7.4	18.8	10.3	19.3	88.7	46.1	60.8	57.9	45.8	56.0	< 50%	$10,665	$769	$9,896
Sandusky Middle	Public	6-8	805 Chinook Place	Lynchburg	24502	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 515-5350	583	42	13.8	96.9%	131 (22.5%)	322 (55.2%)	54 (9.3%)	11 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (11.1%)	5.2	406^th of 416 public middle schools	2.4%		5.6	404^th of 419 public middle schools	3.6%	2		≥ 50%	91.9		25.0	12.5	18.6	32.7	82.6	51.4	39.6	48.4	37.9	29.8	≥ 50%	$9,867	$1,252	$8,616
Appomattox Middle	Public	6-8	2020 Church St	Appomattox	24522	Appomattox County	Appomattox County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 352-8257	542	43	12.6	77.9%	358 (66.1%)	107 (19.7%)	27 (5.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (8.9%)	53	219^th of 416 public middle schools	47.4%		63.3	158^th of 419 public middle schools	62.3%	61			100.0		74.1	69.2	51.9	63.1		69.2	76.2	64.3			69.3	$9,136	$256	$8,880
Brookville Middle	Public	6-8	320 Bee Dr	Lynchburg	24502	Lynchburg city	Campbell County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 239-9267	648	65	9.9	77.6%	418 (64.5%)	88 (13.6%)	79 (12.2%)	15 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	47 (7.3%)	55.8	195^th of 416 public middle schools	53.1%		52.7	214^th of 419 public middle schools	48.9%	19	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	97.4		80.2	76.3	33.3	63.5		71.4	76.5	69.7			67.6	$7,996	$400	$7,596

Frequently Asked Questions about Amherst Middle

What high school do graduates of Amherst Middle attend?

Students who attend Amherst Middle usually go on to attend Amherst County High

What district is Amherst Middle in?

Amherst County Public Schools

How many students attend Amherst Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 371 students attended Amherst Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Amherst Middle?

Students at Amherst Middle are 70% White, 15% African American, 9% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 1% American Indian.

Is Amherst Middle a good school?

Amherst Middle ranks 215^th of 416 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Amherst Middle!

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Schools in Amherst, VA

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Latest Virginia data All new data »

2025–26 SOL test scoresAug 25, 2026

2021–22 school spending dataFeb 16, 2026

2022–23 through 2023–24 school spending dataFeb 10, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 6, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.