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Tappahannock Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-4

974^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 12% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Tappahannock Elementary is a PK-4 school in Tappahannock, Virginia, serving about 400 students and operating as the sole elementary school in Essex County Public Schools. The school's test results closely mirror the district's published averages, meaning this one school essentially drives Essex County's overall accountability profile. Tappahannock currently ranks in the 12th percentile statewide — 974th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools — a sharp drop from the 29th percentile just one year earlier. Among nearby peers, it now ranks below Washington District Elementary (59th percentile), Richmond County Elementary (42nd), King & Queen Elementary (40th), and Acquinton Elementary (28th). Like several rural schools in the region, Tappahannock serves a very high-poverty population, with free/reduced-price lunch eligibility at 102.5%.

Academically, Tappahannock scored below the state average in every tested subject in 2025-2026. The most striking pattern is a steep math decline between 3rd and 4th grade: a cohort that scored 89.23% in 3rd grade math in 2024-2025 fell to 52.46% in 4th grade math the following year, a drop of nearly 37 points. Reading scores were essentially stable across the same transition, suggesting the issue is specific to 4th grade math rather than a general "harder in 4th grade" effect. VA Studies scores (44.26%) were also far below the state average (70.52%) and well behind nearby high-poverty schools like Lawson-Marriott Elementary (72.22%). The comparison with Washington District Elementary is especially telling: that school serves a nearly identical high-poverty population yet ranks in the 59th percentile, showing that poverty alone does not explain the results.

There are genuine bright spots. Chronic absenteeism has fallen from 21.7% in 2022-2023 to 12.7% in 2024-2025 — now better than both the state rate (14.8%) and several neighboring schools. Per-pupil spending, however, is the lowest among all nearby schools at $7,464, which may limit access to support staff, intervention programs, and instructional materials. The strong 3rd grade math performance in 2024-2025 demonstrates that Tappahannock's students and teachers are capable of excellent results. The urgent challenge is understanding why those gains consistently fade by 4th grade and ensuring that successful cohorts don't lose ground as they move up.

400

Students ?

12.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$7,464

Per pupil spending ?

102.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

205 Elementary School Circle
Tappahannock, VA 22560

(804) 443-5301

District: Essex County Public Schools

Students who attend Tappahannock Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	James H. Cary Intermediate
High:	Essex High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

53.3%

White:

25.5%

Two or more races:

14.0%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare Tappahannock Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 10th percentile in 2011 → 12th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Virginia average (55% vs 72% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (12th percentile)

!VA Studies scores 26 pts below the Virginia average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school55%

District avg55%

Virginia avg72%

974^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 12%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

113^th of 131Essex 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	16.6	974 of 1111	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.4	793 of 1110	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.1	803 of 1114	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	28.2	907 of 1099	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	23.7	940 of 1096	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	30.2	868 of 1100	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	35.5	814 of 1110	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	40.8	748 of 1120	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	35.3	864 of 1117	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	23.8	1009 of 1117	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	15.1	1064 of 1113	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	11.5	1056 of 1082	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	16.6	1030 of 1081	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	17.8	1007 of 1083	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	12.6	1034 of 1071	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	12.4	1019 of 1062	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	36.0	424 of 591	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	57.2	262 of 579	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	38.3	410 of 588	30.3%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	15.6	980 of 1100	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	39.7	725 of 1096	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.3	818 of 1098	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	30.3	795 of 1040	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	50.2	552 of 1046	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.6	625 of 1036	39.7%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	19.4	949 of 1099	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.9	839 of 1093	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	35.4	782 of 1101	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2024	22.0	213 of 247	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	11.5	935 of 974	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	21.0	847 of 973	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	57.9	451 of 979	53.9%	★★★☆☆

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)

African American (2026)28th percentile+16 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)24th percentile+11 vs school

Multi-racial (2024)14th percentile-14 vs school

Male (2026)14th percentile~ school

Female (2026)11th percentile~ school

White (2026)4th percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics60%-14 vs state

English Reading56%-15 vs state

VA Studies44%-26 vs state

★

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Schools Near Tappahannock 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 Algebra I (2026)	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 Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Tappahannock Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	205 Elementary School Circle	Tappahannock	22560	Essex County	Essex County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 443-5301	400	32	12.5	102.5%	102 (25.5%)	213 (53.3%)	21 (5.3%)	5 (1.3%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (14.0%)	16.6	974^th of 1111 public elementary schools	12.3%		33.4	793^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	28.6%	181		65.8	52.5					54.8	57.4				44.3	$7,464	$586	$6,878
Richmond County Elementary	Public	PK, KG-7	361 Walnut St	Warsaw	22572	Richmond County	Richmond County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 333-3510	854	61	14.1	85.7%	474 (55.5%)	175 (20.5%)	117 (13.7%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	83 (9.7%)	47.3	647^th of 1111 public elementary schools	41.8%		48.3	624^th of 1110 public elementary schools	43.8%	23	100.0	79.4	64.6	82.2	63.3	71.2	73.3	71.0	67.3	72.0	71.0	68.0	53.2	$8,954	$1,052	$7,902
Lawson-Marriott Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1599 Newtown Rd	Saint Stephens Church	23148	King and Queen County	King and Queen County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 769-3116	178	16	11.0	102.2%	59 (33.1%)	86 (48.3%)	8 (4.5%)	1 (0.6%)	3 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (11.8%)	20.1	940^th of 1111 public elementary schools	15.4%		20.1	926^th of 1110 public elementary schools	16.6%	14		50.0	61.1	26.1	363.0		45.5	378.0	72.2	54.2	63.2		72.2	$9,031	$958	$8,073
Cople Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7114 Cople Highway	Hague	22469	Westmoreland County	Westmoreland County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 472-2081	337	32	10.5	108.3%	89 (26.4%)	162 (48.1%)	54 (16.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (9.2%)	18.6	958^th of 1111 public elementary schools	13.8%		33.3	795^th of 1110 public elementary schools	28.4%	163		66.1	38.7	66.7			64.6	43.6	48.4	68.8			27.9	$13,614	$1,664	$11,950
King & Queen Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	17152 The Trail	King and Queen Court House	23085	King and Queen County	King and Queen County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 785-5830	168	15	11.4	97.0%	96 (57.1%)	36 (21.4%)	19 (11.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (10.1%)	45.4	670^th of 1111 public elementary schools	39.7%		23.2	894^th of 1110 public elementary schools	19.5%	224		60.0	388.0	85.7	391.0		59.1	70.0	384.0	77.3	65.2		380.0	$9,446	$1,110	$8,336
Acquinton Elementary	Public	3-5	18550 King William Road	King William	23086	King William County	King William County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(804) 769-3434	472	30	15.7	47.5%	340 (72.0%)	67 (14.2%)	27 (5.7%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.9%)	34.5	796^th of 1111 public elementary schools	28.4%		42.6	690^th of 1110 public elementary schools	37.8%	106		75.0	64.3	54.1			51.9	65.5	70.1	62.0			70.6	$9,366	$717	$8,649
Washington District Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	454 Oak Grove Road	Colonial Beach	22443	Westmoreland County	Westmoreland County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 224-9100	415	32	12.9	102.9%	204 (49.2%)	88 (21.2%)	74 (17.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (11.8%)	61.6	458^th of 1111 public elementary schools	58.8%		56.9	518^th of 1110 public elementary schools	53.3%	60		94.8	76.8	82.0			70.5	77.6	71.4	72.1			69.7	$12,519	$1,546	$10,973
Cool Spring Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	7301 Acquinton Church Rd.	King William	23086	King William County	King William County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 769-3434	512	33	15.5	44.9%	377 (73.6%)	70 (13.7%)	22 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.7%)								(n/a)														$9,655	$1,079	$8,576

Frequently Asked Questions about Tappahannock Elementary

How many students attend Tappahannock Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 400 students attended Tappahannock Elementary.

What district is Tappahannock Elementary in?

Essex County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Tappahannock Elementary?

Students at Tappahannock Elementary are 53% African American, 26% White, 14% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

Is Tappahannock Elementary a good school?

Tappahannock Elementary ranks in the bottom 12.3% of Virginia elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Tappahannock Elementary attend?

Students who attend Tappahannock Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : James H. Cary Intermediate
High : Essex High

Rate Tappahannock Elementary!

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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.