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Temperance Elementary

Q: Is Temperance Elementary a good school?

Temperance Elementary ranks 437 th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

437^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 61% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Temperance Elementary is a very small PK–5 school in Amherst, VA, serving just 93 students within Amherst County Public Schools. Despite a high-poverty population (82.8% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch), Temperance posts test scores well above district and often above state averages. Its most defining strength is attendance: chronic absenteeism was just 5.3% in 2024–25, dramatically lower than the district's 19.0% and among the best of nearby schools—only Fairfield Elementary (4.4%) had a lower rate. This strong attendance culture, combined with competitive academics, makes Temperance one of the strongest elementary schools in the county.

Academically, Temperance posted standout results in the most recent testing year, including 100% proficiency in 3rd grade math and 94.7% in both 5th grade math and reading. The school's male students ranked 9th in Virginia (99th percentile), an exceptional outcome. However, with only about 15–20 students per grade, results swing dramatically from year to year—4th grade math fell from 86.7% to 55.0% in one year, likely a cohort effect rather than a systemic issue. The school has declined from its elite 2016–17 peak (25th in Virginia) but remains in the mid-to-upper tier, currently ranking 437th of 1,111 schools statewide (61st percentile).

Temperance spends $12,287 per student, above most Amherst County peers such as Amelon Elementary ($10,619) and Elon Elementary ($10,060), though below Tye River Elementary ($13,996) and Fairfield ($13,163). Its student-teacher ratio of 13.2 is similar to most comparison schools. For parents, the key takeaway is that Temperance offers a tight-knit, high-attendance environment that consistently outperforms its district, even if its small size means test scores should be viewed with some flexibility from year to year.

Students ?

13.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,994

Per pupil spending ?

82.8%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

1981 Lowesville Rd
Amherst, VA 24521

(434) 946-2811

District: Amherst County Public Schools

Students who attend Temperance Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Amherst Middle
High:	Amherst County High

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.1%

African American:

5.4%

Hispanic:

4.3%

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Compare Temperance Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 77th percentile in 2016 → 61st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Virginia average (78% vs 72% meeting standards)

✓Above the Virginia median (61st percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 16 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school78%

District avg66%

Virginia avg72%

437^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 39%▼ down 16 pts since 2016

From top 23% (2016) to top 39% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 6Elementary 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	62.9	437 of 1111	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.1	308 of 1110	72.3%	★★★★☆
2024	72.5	318 of 1114	71.5%	★★★★☆
2023	65.8	403 of 1114	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.3	536 of 1109	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.6	397 of 1103	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	72.3	282 of 1105	74.5%	★★★★☆
2018	83.0	110 of 1097	90.0%	★★★★★
2017	90.1	25 of 1099	97.7%	★★★★★
2016	73.1	255 of 1096	76.7%	★★★★☆
2015	88.9	27 of 1100	97.5%	★★★★★
2014	92.4	9 of 1110	99.2%	★★★★★
2013	70.5	295 of 1120	73.7%	★★★★☆
2012	82.2	102 of 1117	90.9%	★★★★★
2011	67.6	317 of 1117	71.6%	★★★★☆
2010	78.6	116 of 1113	89.6%	★★★★☆
2009	64.8	354 of 1082	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	77.9	140 of 1081	87.0%	★★★★☆
2007	81.5	102 of 1083	90.6%	★★★★★
2006	70.8	260 of 1071	75.7%	★★★★☆
2005	83.8	78 of 1062	92.7%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	46.6	649 of 1100	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	74.8	269 of 1096	75.5%	★★★★☆
2024	69.8	340 of 1098	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.2	470 of 1100	57.3%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	93.8	9 of 1099	99.2%	★★★★★
2023	61.1	442 of 1093	59.6%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	46.2	593 of 974	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	70.3	274 of 973	71.8%	★★★★☆
2024	52.7	524 of 979	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.7	566 of 984	42.5%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Male (2026)99th percentile+39 vs school

Female (2026)41st percentile-20 vs school

White (2026)39th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

English Reading83%+11 vs state

Mathematics80%+7 vs state

Science74%+5 vs state

VA Studies65%-6 vs state

★

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Schools Near Temperance Elementary

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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 Mathematics (2026)			SOL Science (2026)	SOL English Reading (2026)			SOL VA Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Temperance Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1981 Lowesville Rd	Amherst	24521	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 946-2811	93	7	13.2	82.8%	81 (87.1%)	5 (5.4%)	4 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.2%)	62.9	437^th of 1111 public elementary schools	60.7%		73.1	308^th of 1110 public elementary schools	72.3%	129	100.0	55.0	94.7	73.7	76.9	75.0	94.7	65.0	$13,994	$509	$13,485
Amherst Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	156 Davis St	Amherst	24521	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 946-9704	307	22	13.9	83.4%	193 (62.9%)	46 (15.0%)	29 (9.4%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (11.4%)	60.4	471^st of 1111 public elementary schools	57.6%		53.7	557^th of 1110 public elementary schools	49.8%	86	74.5	77.8	65.9	77.3	80.9	88.9	70.5	68.9	$11,259	$1,539	$9,720
Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	575 Union Hill Rd	Amherst	24521	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 946-9700	268	25	10.7	82.8%	151 (56.3%)	51 (19.0%)	16 (6.0%)	5 (1.9%)	7 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (14.2%)	26.6	880^th of 1111 public elementary schools	20.8%		11.4	1014^th of 1110 public elementary schools	8.6%	134	77.8	52.2	70.3	64.9	63.9	56.5	56.8	32.6	$15,658	$1,553	$14,105
Tye River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5198 Thomas Nelson Hwy	Arrington	22922	Nelson County	Nelson County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 263-8960	360	29	12.6	85.3%	245 (68.1%)	58 (16.1%)	43 (11.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.3%)	59.4	487^th of 1111 public elementary schools	56.2%		54.1	554^th of 1110 public elementary schools	50.1%	67	74.6	68.6	87.2	78.7	67.3	78.4	78.7	70.6	$16,136	$2,335	$13,801
Elon Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	147 Younger Dr	Madison Heights	24572	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 528-6496	288	22	13.0	83.0%	215 (74.7%)	35 (12.2%)	8 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	1 (0.3%)	23 (8.0%)	66.3	396^th of 1111 public elementary schools	64.4%		57	516^th of 1110 public elementary schools	53.5%	120	80.9	81.6	82.8	72.4	76.6	81.6	75.9	71.4	$11,499	$607	$10,892
F.W. Kling Junior Elementary	Public	PK, KG-1	3400 Lombardy Ave	Buena Vista	24416	Buena Vista city	Buena Vista City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 261-6717	177	15	11.8	94.9%	129 (72.9%)	9 (5.1%)	13 (7.3%)	2 (1.1%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	22 (12.4%)								(n/a)									$8,689	$1,659	$7,030
Amelon Elementary	Public	K-5	132 Amer Court	Madison Heights	24572	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 528-6498	415	32	12.9	83.6%	243 (58.6%)	106 (25.5%)	21 (5.1%)	2 (0.5%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (9.2%)	31.4	827^th of 1111 public elementary schools	25.6%		16	969^th of 1110 public elementary schools	12.7%	142	66.7	62.3	52.9	61.8	75.0	70.1	61.8	50.7	$11,397	$957	$10,439
Enderly Heights Elementary	Public	2-5	101 Woodland Ave	Buena Vista	24416	Buena Vista city	Buena Vista City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 261-6151	268	21	12.7	92.2%	213 (79.5%)	7 (2.6%)	21 (7.8%)	7 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.5%)	60	476^th of 1111 public elementary schools	57.2%		57.4	511^th of 1110 public elementary schools	54.0%	35	51.6	74.1	88.4	78.3	60.0	84.5	84.1	80.4	$8,721	$1,361	$7,360
Mountain View Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	20 Burger Circle	Buena Vista	24416	Buena Vista city	Rockbridge County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 261-2418	154	14	10.6	97.4%	136 (88.3%)	4 (2.6%)	3 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (6.5%)	70.7	343^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	69.1%		56.1	532^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	52.1%	189	73.9	94.4	79.0	84.2	56.5	88.9	89.5	94.4	$11,965	$1,286	$10,679
Fairfield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	20 Fairfield School Rd	Fairfield	24435	Rockbridge County	Rockbridge County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 348-5202	241	22	11.0	79.7%	203 (84.2%)	5 (2.1%)	15 (6.2%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.8%)	70.5	346^th of 1111 public elementary schools	68.9%		53.3	561^st of 1110 public elementary schools	49.5%	215	87.0	91.2	80.6	63.9	82.6	85.3	66.7	85.3	$11,938	$962	$10,976

Frequently Asked Questions about Temperance Elementary

What schools do graduates of Temperance Elementary attend?

Students who attend Temperance Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Amherst Middle
High : Amherst County High

How many students attend Temperance Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 93 students attended Temperance Elementary.

Is Temperance Elementary a good school?

Temperance Elementary ranks 437^th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Temperance Elementary?

Students at Temperance Elementary are 87% White, 5% African American, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

What district is Temperance Elementary in?

Amherst County Public Schools

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Latest Virginia data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 SOL test scoresAug 25, 2026

2021–22 school spending dataFeb 16, 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.