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Thomas Jefferson Elementary

Q: Is Thomas Jefferson Elementary a good school?

Thomas Jefferson Elementary ranks 140 th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

140^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 87% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Thomas Jefferson Elementary is a PK–5 school in Forest, Virginia, serving 567 students in Bedford County Public Schools. Over the past decade, the school has climbed from a mid-pack ranking of 650th among Virginia elementary schools in 2016–2017 to 140th in 2025–2026 — placing it in the 87th percentile statewide with a 4-star rating. That sustained improvement, now in its fifth consecutive year at the 4-star level, makes this one of the most consistently rising schools in the region.

Academically, Thomas Jefferson outperforms both its district and the state in every tested subject. Standout areas include 5th grade math (92.96% proficient vs. 72.39% statewide) and 5th grade science (88.73% vs. 68.75% statewide). Within the immediate area, Thomas Jefferson ranks ahead of nearby Forest Elementary (271st) and Boonsboro Elementary (266th), while New London Academy Elementary (105th) is the only local school ranked higher. The gap with Lynchburg City Public Schools is especially striking: Thomas Jefferson's 5th grade math proficiency is more than double that of Perrymont Elementary (42.86%) and Linkhorne Elementary (48.21%).

The school also posts a chronic absenteeism rate of just 6.3% — less than half the state average of 14.8% — and spends $8,846 per student, below most Lynchburg City schools despite producing significantly better outcomes. Perhaps most notable is the school's performance with economically disadvantaged students, who rank in the 96th percentile statewide. With about 24.5% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, Thomas Jefferson is demonstrating that strong academics and equity can go hand in hand. The one area worth watching is outcomes for African American students, who ranked at the 62nd percentile in 2023–2024; more recent data will show whether that gap is closing.

567

Students ?

16.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,846

Per pupil spending ?

24.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1255 Patriot Place
Forest, VA 24551

(434) 534-6159

District: Bedford County Public Schools

Students who attend Thomas Jefferson Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Forest Middle
High:	Jefferson Forest High

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.3%

Hispanic:

9.0%

Two or more races:

7.9%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare Thomas Jefferson Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 49th percentile in 2015 → 87th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Virginia average (87% vs 72% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 13% of Virginia elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 38 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school87%

District avg77%

Virginia avg72%

140^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 13%▲ up 38 pts since 2016

From bottom 49% (2016) to top 13% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 12Elementary Schools in the Bedford County Public Schools

35^th of 131Bedford 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	84.3	140 of 1111	87.4%	★★★★☆
2025	84.2	140 of 1110	87.4%	★★★★☆
2024	81.2	195 of 1114	82.5%	★★★★☆
2023	79.9	209 of 1114	81.2%	★★★★☆
2022	79.6	215 of 1109	80.6%	★★★★☆
2019	67.9	366 of 1105	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	65.4	388 of 1097	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.9	650 of 1099	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	54.2	557 of 1096	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	55.2	558 of 1100	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	55.7	513 of 1110	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	56.6	493 of 1120	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2012	55.5	526 of 1117	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	41.1	784 of 1117	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	45.6	724 of 1113	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	49.4	616 of 1082	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	37.1	793 of 1081	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	60.4	429 of 1083	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	59.4	444 of 1071	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2005	54.1	524 of 1062	50.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2024	62.6	221 of 588	62.4%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	85.3	99 of 1100	91.0%	★★★★★
2025	85.3	101 of 1096	90.8%	★★★★★
2024	81.9	156 of 1098	85.8%	★★★★☆
2023	73.7	264 of 1100	76.0%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	89.2	43 of 1040	95.9%	★★★★★
2025	72.5	222 of 1046	78.8%	★★★★☆
2024	68.2	287 of 1036	72.3%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	80.2	177 of 1099	83.9%	★★★★☆
2025	80.0	204 of 1093	81.3%	★★★★☆
2024	77.3	233 of 1101	78.8%	★★★★☆
2023	82.2	157 of 1093	85.6%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	71.5	251 of 974	74.2%	★★★★☆
2025	75.7	188 of 973	80.7%	★★★★☆
2024	71.1	251 of 979	74.4%	★★★★☆
2023	67.4	306 of 984	68.9%	★★★☆☆

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 (2026)96th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2026)91st percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)84th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)74th percentile-13 vs school

African American (2024)62nd percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics89%+16 vs state

Science89%+20 vs state

VA Studies87%+17 vs state

English Reading85%+13 vs state

5.0

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Schools Near Thomas Jefferson 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 (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 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
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%)	84.3	140^th of 1111 public elementary schools	87.4%		84.2	140^th of 1110 public elementary schools	87.4%		89.0	85.9	93.0	88.7	81.0	87.4	85.7	87.4	$8,846	$336	$8,510
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%)	75.7	271^st of 1111 public elementary schools	75.6%		84.2	141^st of 1110 public elementary schools	87.3%	130	89.9	68.7	90.0	91.8	88.4	85.7	86.9	73.8	$7,713	$582	$7,132
Tomahawk Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	155 Bee Drive	Lynchburg	24502	Lynchburg city	Campbell County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 237-4090	667	46	14.6	76.9%	418 (62.7%)	100 (15.0%)	81 (12.1%)	17 (2.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (7.5%)	51.2	597^th of 1111 public elementary schools	46.3%		51.7	578^th of 1110 public elementary schools	47.9%	19	76.4	81.3	70.2	53.5	75.5	75.0	67.5	73.0	$7,481	$432	$7,050
New London Academy Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1133 Academy Lane	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 525-2177	330	22	15.0	31.8%	260 (78.8%)	20 (6.1%)	21 (6.4%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.7%)	86	105^th of 1111 public elementary schools	90.5%		80.4	211^th of 1110 public elementary schools	81.0%	106	90.2	92.9	85.7	83.3	92.2	85.7	85.7	91.1	$8,950	$528	$8,422
Leesville Road Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	25 Lewis Way	Lynchburg	24502	Lynchburg city	Campbell County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 239-0303	646	44	14.5	78.6%	361 (55.9%)	108 (16.7%)	94 (14.6%)	17 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	65 (10.1%)	64.6	418^th of 1111 public elementary schools	62.4%		66.9	392^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	64.7%	26	77.2	82.0	80.4	71.0	66.3	80.9	78.7	81.8	$8,282	$625	$7,657
Heritage Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	501 Leesville Rd	Lynchburg	24502	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5230	448	33	13.5	86.2%	96 (21.4%)	226 (50.4%)	40 (8.9%)	19 (4.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (14.5%)	26.3	884^th of 1111 public elementary schools	20.4%		16.5	965^th of 1110 public elementary schools	13.1%	81	62.2	60.3	73.6	60.4	54.6	63.2	64.2	45.5	$9,581	$1,457	$8,124
Sandusky Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5828 Apache Ln	Lynchburg	24502	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5280	316	24	13.1	93.4%	73 (23.1%)	161 (50.9%)	51 (16.1%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.9%)	19.9	944^th of 1111 public elementary schools	15.0%		37.4	746^th of 1110 public elementary schools	32.8%	198	66.7	61.5	55.1	51.0	49.2	60.0	64.6	50.8	$9,076	$1,666	$7,410
Sheffield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	115 Kenwood Place	Lynchburg	24502	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5290	443	36	12.3	92.8%	107 (24.2%)	202 (45.6%)	75 (16.9%)	4 (0.9%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (11.7%)	20.2	938^th of 1111 public elementary schools	15.6%		22.2	899^th of 1110 public elementary schools	19.0%	39	49.3	39.7	64.0	68.0	50.7	50.0	79.6	48.4	$10,543	$1,578	$8,965
Perrymont Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	409 Perrymont Ave	Lynchburg	24502	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5250	377	30	12.5	93.4%	95 (25.2%)	195 (51.7%)	32 (8.5%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (13.0%)	4.9	1075^th of 1111 public elementary schools	3.2%		5.6	1068^th of 1110 public elementary schools	3.8%	7	44.9	53.9	42.9	21.4	42.9	46.2	50.0	44.4	$9,930	$1,503	$8,427
Linkhorne Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2501 Linkhorne Dr	Lynchburg	24503	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5240	378	33	11.4	97.1%	87 (23.0%)	221 (58.5%)	29 (7.7%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.8%)	14.3	995^th of 1111 public elementary schools	10.4%		9.6	1029^th of 1110 public elementary schools	7.3%	34	62.3	48.2	48.2	45.5	55.0	55.4	61.8	50.9	$10,101	$1,795	$8,306

Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Jefferson Elementary

What schools do graduates of Thomas Jefferson Elementary attend?

Students who attend Thomas Jefferson Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Forest Middle
High : Jefferson Forest High

What is the racial makeup of Thomas Jefferson Elementary?

Students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary are 71% White, 9% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 7% African American, 5% Asian.

How many students attend Thomas Jefferson Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 567 students attended Thomas Jefferson Elementary.

Is Thomas Jefferson Elementary a good school?

Thomas Jefferson Elementary ranks 140^th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Thomas Jefferson Elementary in?

Bedford County Public Schools

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Latest Virginia data All new data »

2025–26 SOL test scoresNewAug 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.