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Big Island Elementary

Q: Is Big Island Elementary a good school?

Big Island Elementary ranks 580 th of 1110 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

580^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,110 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 48% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Big Island Elementary is a public elementary school in Big Island, Virginia, serving 148 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Bedford County Public Schools district, which is ranked 43 out of 129 school districts in the state.

Big Island Elementary has shown a fluctuating academic performance, with its statewide ranking ranging from 180th to 580th out of 1,110 Virginia elementary schools. The school has outperformed the district and state averages in 5th-grade Science and English Reading, but underperformed in 3rd-grade and 4th-grade Mathematics and 4th-grade English Reading. Compared to nearby schools like Thomas Jefferson Elementary and Otter River Elementary, Big Island Elementary has a higher percentage of students proficient or better in SOL tests, particularly in 5th-grade Science and English Reading.

One of the key challenges facing Big Island Elementary is its high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 81.76% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2023-2024. This is significantly higher than the nearby schools, which range from 17.96% to 97.33%. The school has also experienced relatively high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 14.0% to 19.3% in recent years. Despite the higher per-student spending and lower student-teacher ratio at Big Island Elementary compared to nearby schools, the academic outcomes suggest the need for a more targeted and comprehensive approach to address the specific needs of the student population and improve overall educational outcomes.

182

Students ?

14.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,621

Per pupil spending ?

82.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1114 Schooldays Rd
Big Island, VA 24526

(434) 299-5863

District: Bedford County Public Schools

Students who attend Big Island Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Liberty Middle
High:	Liberty High

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.1%

Two or more races:

6.6%

Hispanic:

4.9%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare Big Island Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 59th percentile in 2015 → 48th in 2025

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 11 percentile points since 2015

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school71%

District avg77%

Virginia avg71%

580^th of 1,110

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 48%▼ down 11 pts since 2015

From top 41% (2015) to bottom 48% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

8^th of 12Elementary Schools in the Bedford County Public Schools

43^rd of 129Bedford 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
2025	51.6	580 of 1110	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	65.6	418 of 1114	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	81.7	180 of 1114	83.8%	★★★★☆
2022	74.0	289 of 1109	73.9%	★★★★☆
2021	74.1	282 of 1103	74.4%	★★★★☆
2019	69.8	328 of 1105	70.3%	★★★★☆
2018	63.1	430 of 1097	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	59.5	466 of 1099	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	54.3	556 of 1096	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2015	60.7	456 of 1100	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2014	30.4	884 of 1110	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	30.8	867 of 1120	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	28.6	952 of 1117	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	36.9	846 of 1117	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	37.3	863 of 1113	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	24.6	968 of 1082	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	41.4	749 of 1081	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2007	43.5	701 of 1083	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2006	50.3	601 of 1071	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2005	58.3	464 of 1062	56.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	64.2	402 of 1096	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	80.4	178 of 1098	83.8%	★★★★☆
2023	82.7	138 of 1100	87.5%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2024	84.4	76 of 1036	92.7%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	52.6	547 of 1093	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.1	416 of 1101	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	76.4	232 of 1093	78.8%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	23.8	817 of 973	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	69.9	263 of 979	73.1%	★★★★☆
2023	67.3	310 of 984	68.5%	★★★☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)93rd percentile+30 vs school

Female (2025)63rd percentile+16 vs school

Male (2025)50th percentile~ school

White (2025)16th percentile-32 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2024-2025) ?

Science81%+12 vs state

English Reading71%~ state avg

Mathematics68%-4 vs state

VA Studies62%-6 vs state

★

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Schools Near Big Island Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SOL Mathematics (2025)			SOL Science (2025)	SOL English Reading (2025)			SOL VA Studies (2025)	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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Big Island Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1114 Schooldays Rd	Big Island	24526	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 299-5863	182	12	14.9	82.4%	153 (84.1%)	7 (3.8%)	9 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (6.6%)	51.6	580^th of 1110 public elementary schools	47.7%		65.6	418^th of 1114 public elementary schools	62.5%	162	69.6	61.9	71.9	81.3	69.6	52.4	84.4	61.9	$9,621	$757	$8,865
Natural Bridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	42 Natural Bridge School Rd.	Natural Bridge Station	24479	Rockbridge County	Rockbridge County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 291-2292	230	22	10.5	98.3%	178 (77.4%)	8 (3.5%)	15 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (12.6%)	14.4	986^th of 1110 public elementary schools	11.2%		31.4	818^th of 1114 public elementary schools	26.6%	168	61.8	55.2	54.6	39.4	44.1	51.7	46.9	62.1	$11,862	$1,771	$10,091
Boonsboro Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1234 Eagle Circle	Lynchburg	24503	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 384-2881	309	19	16.2	26.5%	253 (81.9%)	22 (7.1%)	16 (5.2%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.5%)	74.5	294^th of 1110 public elementary schools	73.5%		69.4	368^th of 1114 public elementary schools	67.0%	74	81.5	75.5	93.6	77.3	87.0	84.0	81.8	72.0	$8,031	$318	$7,714
Otter River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1044 Otter River Dr	Goode	24556	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 586-9210	167	12	13.6	36.5%	137 (82.0%)	9 (5.4%)	9 (5.4%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (6.6%)	81.7	187^th of 1110 public elementary schools	83.2%		69.8	361^st of 1114 public elementary schools	67.6%	174	94.7	85.7	91.2	79.4	89.5	82.1	88.2	78.6	$10,506	$395	$10,111
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%)	57	516^th of 1110 public elementary schools	53.5%		51.9	587^th of 1114 public elementary schools	47.3%	71	89.1	71.7	69.6	69.6	73.3	75.0	71.7	70.0	$10,060	$878	$9,182
Forest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	One Scholar Lane	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 525-2681	384	22	17.6	18.0%	273 (71.1%)	18 (4.7%)	32 (8.3%)	36 (9.4%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.5%)	84.2	141^st of 1110 public elementary schools	87.3%		84.7	125^th of 1114 public elementary schools	88.8%	16	85.4	89.5	87.8	90.5	85.4	82.5	90.5	82.1	$7,713	$582	$7,132
Paul Munro Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4641 Locksview Rd	Lynchburg	24503	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5260	356	26	13.6	97.2%	173 (48.6%)	113 (31.7%)	34 (9.6%)	7 (2.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (7.9%)	73.7	300^th of 1110 public elementary schools	73.0%		81.8	175^th of 1114 public elementary schools	84.3%	125	79.2	88.1	77.8	75.6	72.9	90.5	82.6	83.3	$8,460	$1,798	$6,661
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%)	57.4	511^th of 1110 public elementary schools	54.0%		57.5	518^th of 1114 public elementary schools	53.5%	7	81.8	79.7	65.5	63.6	76.8	85.5	50.9	78.3	$10,062	$1,512	$8,550
Bedford Hills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4330 Morningside Dr	Lynchburg	24503	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5210	402	31	12.9	98.0%	195 (48.5%)	124 (30.8%)	42 (10.4%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (9.5%)	36.6	750^th of 1110 public elementary schools	32.4%		22.9	921^st of 1114 public elementary schools	17.3%	171	80.0	60.0	45.1	64.7	73.5	62.5	70.6	56.9	$10,827	$1,504	$9,323
Thomas Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1255 Patriot Place	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 534-6159	567	35	16.1	24.5%	404 (71.3%)	38 (6.7%)	51 (9.0%)	29 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.9%)	84.2	140^th of 1110 public elementary schools	87.4%		81.2	195^th of 1114 public elementary schools	82.5%	55	84.5	88.2	96.4	89.4	85.7	83.6	87.1	80.6	$8,846	$336	$8,510

Frequently Asked Questions about Big Island Elementary

What schools do graduates of Big Island Elementary attend?

Students who attend Big Island Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Liberty Middle
High : Liberty High

Is Big Island Elementary a good school?

Big Island Elementary ranks 580^th of 1110 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Big Island Elementary in?

Bedford County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Big Island Elementary?

Students at Big Island Elementary are 84% White, 7% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 4% African American.

How many students attend Big Island Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 182 students attended Big Island Elementary.

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Schools in Big Island, VA

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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.