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Windy Gap Elementary

Q: Is Windy Gap Elementary a good school?

Windy Gap Elementary ranks 209 th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

209^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 81% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Windy Gap Elementary serves 391 students in grades PK–5 in Hardy, Virginia, a rural community in the Blue Ridge foothills, and is part of Franklin County Public Schools, a district ranked 38th out of 131 statewide. The school currently ranks 209th among Virginia's 1,111 elementary schools — an 81st percentile, 4-star rating — and this is its best standing in at least a decade, climbing from 400th just a few years ago. What makes this especially notable is that roughly 87% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, yet the school is delivering results that rival schools in far wealthier communities.

Windy Gap's greatest strength is its performance with economically disadvantaged students, who rank in the 94th percentile statewide — a 5-star result and a dramatic jump from the prior year. Fifth graders posted outstanding scores: 97.9% proficiency in math, 95.8% in science, and 91.7% in reading, all well above district and state averages. The school also keeps chronic absenteeism lower than the district average (12.3% vs. 15.4%), and it does all this while spending just $10,283 per student with a 15:1 student-teacher ratio.

The contrast with nearby schools is striking. Boones Mill Elementary, just 6.4 miles away in the same district with nearly identical poverty levels, ranks 598th and trails Windy Gap by wide margins in nearly every subject. Windy Gap even outperforms Clearbrook Elementary in Roanoke County, despite Clearbrook having less than half the poverty rate. The one school that edges out Windy Gap is Crystal Spring Elementary in Roanoke City (75th statewide), which has lower absenteeism and higher spending per pupil. Windy Gap's clearest area for improvement is 4th grade, where scores dipped below the district average. If that rebounds, this school has real momentum toward the top 100.

391

Students ?

15.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,283

Per pupil spending ?

87%

Free/discounted lunch ?

465 Truman Hill Road
Hardy, VA 24101

(540) 719-2809

District: Franklin County Public Schools

Students who attend Windy Gap Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Benjamin Franklin Middle
High:	Franklin County High

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.6%

Two or more races:

7.9%

Hispanic:

5.1%

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Compare Windy Gap Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 52nd percentile in 2016 → 81st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Virginia average (86% vs 72% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 19% of Virginia elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 29 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school86%

District avg78%

Virginia avg72%

209^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 19%▲ up 30 pts since 2016

From top 48% (2016) to top 19% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 10Elementary Schools in the Franklin County Public Schools

38^th of 131Franklin 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	79.3	209 of 1111	81.2%	★★★★☆
2025	72.6	314 of 1110	71.7%	★★★★☆
2024	70.8	342 of 1114	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	72.9	297 of 1114	73.3%	★★★★☆
2022	65.9	400 of 1109	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	79.2	216 of 1103	80.4%	★★★★☆
2019	68.7	350 of 1105	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.9	432 of 1097	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	73.7	243 of 1099	77.9%	★★★★☆
2016	56.1	530 of 1096	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2015	55.9	550 of 1100	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	67.5	329 of 1110	70.4%	★★★★☆
2013	69.9	307 of 1120	72.6%	★★★★☆
2012	70.5	272 of 1117	75.6%	★★★★☆
2011	46.3	688 of 1117	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	49.4	656 of 1113	41.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	76.9	229 of 1100	79.2%	★★★★☆
2025	67.6	356 of 1096	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.0	336 of 1098	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.4	327 of 1100	70.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	86.8	59 of 1040	94.3%	★★★★★
2025	62.1	376 of 1046	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.8	220 of 1036	78.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	79.5	186 of 1099	83.1%	★★★★☆
2025	74.5	286 of 1093	73.8%	★★★★☆
2024	73.7	282 of 1101	74.4%	★★★★☆
2023	72.1	287 of 1093	73.7%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	60.0	414 of 974	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	48.7	561 of 973	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.8	562 of 979	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.0	518 of 984	47.4%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)94th percentile+13 vs school

Male (2026)83rd percentile~ school

Female (2026)79th percentile~ school

White (2026)57th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Science96%+27 vs state

VA Studies88%+18 vs state

Mathematics87%+14 vs state

English Reading81%+10 vs state

5.0

3 ratings · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Sunday, September 8, 2013

I have never been to Windy Gap Elementary or met any of the Administrators or teachers who occupy the building but I do know my Grandson who recently transferred from an outstanding school in Sumter South Carolina to Windy Gap. As a school administrator myself who has been teaching for more than 19 years I know that a child's first few days in a school make all the difference in their educational experience. Before my grandson even enrolled I visited the school website and checked out the test scores and school rankings. The website was a great view into the school and the many activities that students have access. I also looked at the school's test scores which were good but not stellar, however as an educator I know most of those scores are an aggregate of both struggling students as well as the brightest students. What convinced me that this was a definite "5" was how my grandson was received, not as an additional student to be served but as an important part of this school. His teacher Ms. Angel greeted him warmly and made his transition from one school to another, a traumatic event in the life of a 9 year old, a happy and positive experience. I have since received many phone calls about good grades, and a wonderful teacher. While my experience in this school is limited my grandson is happy and thriving... and that is good enough for a loving grandfather. Close Quote

Schools Near Windy Gap 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
Windy Gap Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	465 Truman Hill Road	Hardy	24101	Franklin County	Franklin County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 719-2809	391	26	15.0	87.0%	323 (82.6%)	14 (3.6%)	20 (5.1%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.9%)	79.3	209^th of 1111 public elementary schools	81.2%		72.6	314^th of 1110 public elementary schools	71.7%	105	89.1	77.9	97.9	95.8	80.0	75.0	91.7	88.2	$10,283	$1,559	$8,723
Mount Pleasant Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3216 Mt Pleasant Blvd	Roanoke	24014	Roanoke city	Roanoke County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 427-1879	246	23	10.9	83.7%	181 (73.6%)	5 (2.0%)	27 (11.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (12.6%)	67.1	389^th of 1111 public elementary schools	65.0%		72.4	319^th of 1110 public elementary schools	71.3%	70	80.0	79.6	81.8	78.8	74.3	77.3	84.9	72.1	$14,740	$1,529	$13,211
Clearbrook Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5205 Franklin Rd	Roanoke	24014	Roanoke city	Roanoke County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 772-7555	320	24	13.6	40.0%	222 (69.4%)	23 (7.2%)	22 (6.9%)	24 (7.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.8%)	71	339^th of 1111 public elementary schools	69.5%		79	230^th of 1110 public elementary schools	79.3%	109	73.9	78.0	90.6	92.5	67.4	82.0	92.3	72.0	$10,169	$478	$9,691
Garden City Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3718 Garden City Blvd SE	Roanoke	24014	Roanoke city	Roanoke City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 853-2971	302	33	9.2	98.7%	160 (53.0%)	77 (25.5%)	27 (8.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (11.9%)	28.6	857^th of 1111 public elementary schools	22.9%		31	815^th of 1110 public elementary schools	26.6%	42	80.5	58.5	66.7	61.1	65.9	48.8	55.6	46.3	$16,985	$2,183	$14,802
Boones Mill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	265 Taylors Rd	Boones Mill	24065	Franklin County	Franklin County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 334-4000	290	21	14.0	85.5%	244 (84.1%)	5 (1.7%)	20 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (7.2%)	51.2	598^th of 1111 public elementary schools	46.2%		45.8	659^th of 1110 public elementary schools	40.6%	61	87.2	83.0	74.4	59.0	72.3	67.9	64.1	64.2	$10,431	$1,581	$8,850
Morningside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1716 Wilson Avenue SE	Roanoke	24013	Roanoke city	Roanoke City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 853-2991	278	23	12.1	101.4%	112 (40.3%)	91 (32.7%)	45 (16.2%)	3 (1.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (9.0%)	13.5	999^th of 1111 public elementary schools	10.1%		9.2	1035^th of 1110 public elementary schools	6.8%	36	75.8	33.3	43.5	39.1	66.7	41.0	51.1	30.6	$16,084	$2,596	$13,487
Crystal Spring Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2620 Carolina Ave SW	Roanoke	24014	Roanoke city	Roanoke City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 853-2976	323	22	14.9	100.9%	262 (81.1%)	18 (5.6%)	21 (6.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.5%)	88.1	75^th of 1111 public elementary schools	93.2%		86.7	90^th of 1110 public elementary schools	91.9%	15	95.6	94.6	90.9	81.8	88.6	91.1	87.3	90.9	$13,186	$1,222	$11,965
W.E. Cundiff Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1200 Hardy Rd	Vinton	24179	Roanoke County	Roanoke County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 857-5009	486	38	12.9	81.3%	350 (72.0%)	33 (6.8%)	40 (8.2%)	7 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (11.3%)	67.5	380^th of 1111 public elementary schools	65.8%		71.5	336^th of 1110 public elementary schools	69.7%	44	85.7	86.1	80.5	78.1	68.6	72.1	85.4	73.1	$9,682	$902	$8,780
Penn Forest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6328 Merriman Rd	Roanoke	24018	Roanoke County	Roanoke County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 772-7590	408	28	14.8	28.7%	275 (67.4%)	32 (7.8%)	26 (6.4%)	36 (8.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.1%)	87.7	80^th of 1111 public elementary schools	92.8%		88.7	68^th of 1110 public elementary schools	93.9%	12	92.9	90.3	84.4	92.2	89.3	91.8	89.3	88.3	$10,913	$424	$10,489
Fallon Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	502 19th St SE	Roanoke	24013	Roanoke city	Roanoke City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 853-2535	591	50	11.7	99.3%	158 (26.7%)	200 (33.8%)	171 (28.9%)	7 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (9.3%)	2.6	1094^th of 1111 public elementary schools	1.5%		7.1	1052^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	5.2%	42	46.0	32.1	40.5	35.4	30.6	37.4	50.6	39.3	$15,267	$2,866	$12,401

Frequently Asked Questions about Windy Gap Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Windy Gap Elementary?

Students at Windy Gap Elementary are 83% White, 8% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 4% African American.

Is Windy Gap Elementary a good school?

Windy Gap Elementary ranks 209^th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Windy Gap Elementary attend?

Students who attend Windy Gap Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Benjamin Franklin Middle
High : Franklin County High

What district is Windy Gap Elementary in?

Franklin County Public Schools

How many students attend Windy Gap Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 391 students attended Windy Gap 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.