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South Boston Elementary

Q: Is South Boston Elementary a good school?

South Boston Elementary ranks 652 nd of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

652^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 41% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

South Boston Elementary is a K–5 school in South Boston, VA, serving 683 students as the largest elementary school in Halifax County Public Schools, with a student body where virtually every family qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The school currently holds a 2-star rating and ranks at the 41st percentile statewide, a steady climb from the 11th percentile in 2020–21.

There's a lot of encouraging news for parents considering South Boston Elementary. Math is a real strength — 3rd and 4th graders beat the state average in math proficiency, and 5th-grade math has surged from below 34% proficient in 2022–23 to 74% in 2025–26. The school also excels with student groups that are often underserved elsewhere: Hispanic students rank at the 80th percentile statewide compared to similar schools, and low-income students perform above the median. Chronic absenteeism has dropped dramatically from 40.6% in 2021–22 to just 12.4% in 2024–25, well below the district's 21.4% rate and the second-lowest among nearby elementary schools behind Sydnor Jennings Elementary. The school also spends less per student ($9,069) than every comparable nearby elementary school, suggesting a degree of operational efficiency.

Some areas need attention, though. Reading proficiency is mixed — 3rd grade is near the state average, but 4th and 5th grade lag both state and district averages. Virginia Studies is the biggest concern: only 48.25% of 4th graders were proficient, the lowest score among nearby elementary schools and a sharp drop from the prior year. Compared to its neighbors, South Boston Elementary sits in the middle of the pack — behind Scottsburg Elementary, Cluster Springs Elementary, and Meadville Elementary in state rank, but ahead of Clays Mill Elementary and Sinai Elementary. Overall, this is a large, high-needs school in the middle of a genuine recovery, with strong math gains and improving attendance pointing in the right direction.

683

Students ?

14.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,069

Per pupil spending ?

100.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2320 Parker Avenue
South Boston, VA 24592

(434) 517-2620

District: Halifax County Public Schools

Students who attend South Boston Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Halifax County Middle
High:	Halifax County High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

55.2%

White:

27.1%

Hispanic:

8.6%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare South Boston Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 28th percentile in 2016 → 41st in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 13 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!VA Studies scores 22 pts below the Virginia average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school69%

District avg71%

Virginia avg72%

652^nd of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 41%▲ up 13 pts since 2016

From bottom 28% (2016) to bottom 41% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 7Elementary Schools in the Halifax County Public Schools

76^th of 131Halifax 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	46.5	652 of 1111	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.3	735 of 1110	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.1	715 of 1114	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.7	875 of 1114	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.4	895 of 1109	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.7	981 of 1103	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	54.9	562 of 1105	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.8	644 of 1097	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	38.5	789 of 1099	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	38.3	791 of 1096	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	34.9	823 of 1100	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	23.5	974 of 1110	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	54.8	529 of 1120	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2012	32.1	911 of 1117	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	53.6	567 of 1117	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2010	41.4	810 of 1113	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	53.5	297 of 591	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.9	365 of 579	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.7	337 of 588	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.6	452 of 579	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	44.8	668 of 1100	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.4	710 of 1096	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.4	701 of 1098	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.4	888 of 1100	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	74.4	124 of 619	80.0%	★★★★☆
2025	67.6	187 of 606	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.7	257 of 580	55.7%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	56.2	463 of 1040	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	44.7	602 of 1046	42.4%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	47.2	645 of 1099	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	35.1	779 of 1093	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.0	748 of 1101	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	28.2	857 of 1093	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	49.1	555 of 974	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	33.6	731 of 973	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	43.9	629 of 979	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	28.9	785 of 984	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2026)80th percentile+39 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)55th percentile+14 vs school

African American (2026)50th percentile+8 vs school

White (2026)43rd percentile~ school

Male (2026)41st percentile~ school

Female (2026)39th percentile~ school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics79%+6 vs state

Science69%~ state avg

English Reading67%-5 vs state

VA Studies48%-22 vs state

2.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a teacher
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

The school is not inclusive of all children when it comes to positive reinforcement. The school does not encourage/support a lot of parental involvement or volunteers compared to the number of students in the school. Close Quote

Schools Near South Boston 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
South Boston Elementary	Public	K-5	2320 Parker Avenue	South Boston	24592	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 517-2620	683	46	14.8	100.4%	185 (27.1%)	377 (55.2%)	59 (8.6%)	14 (2.0%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	44 (6.4%)	46.5	652^nd of 1111 public elementary schools	41.3%		38.3	735^th of 1110 public elementary schools	33.8%	83	83.7	79.8	74.2	68.8	67.3	64.9	68.1	48.3	$9,069	$1,416	$7,653
Sinai Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1011 Sinai Elementary Drive	Halifax	24558	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 476-6193	243	23	10.8	99.2%	47 (19.3%)	167 (68.7%)	13 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.6%)	31.8	824^th of 1111 public elementary schools	25.8%		33.3	798^th of 1110 public elementary schools	28.1%	26	51.5	43.2	82.4	70.6	42.4	75.7	67.7	52.8	$11,984	$2,676	$9,308
Scottsburg Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1010 Scottsburg School Trail	Scottsburg	24589	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 454-6454	187	18	10.6	100.5%	103 (55.1%)	61 (32.6%)	9 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	13 (7.0%)	70.5	345^th of 1111 public elementary schools	68.9%		73.1	309^th of 1110 public elementary schools	72.2%	36	87.9	90.6	85.2	70.4	81.8	75.0	77.8	72.7	$13,251	$1,408	$11,843
Cluster Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7091 Huell Matthews Hwy.	Alton	24520	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 517-2600	572	38	14.9	100.7%	358 (62.6%)	128 (22.4%)	46 (8.0%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (5.9%)	59	491^st of 1111 public elementary schools	55.8%		43.6	681^st of 1110 public elementary schools	38.6%	190	72.5	86.1	91.7	66.7	61.3	78.5	73.8	73.4	$9,523	$1,502	$8,021
Clays Mill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1011 Clays Mill School Dr	Scottsburg	24589	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 476-3022	236	19	12.1	100.0%	164 (69.5%)	49 (20.8%)	14 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.8%)	44.9	677^th of 1111 public elementary schools	39.1%		62.5	447^th of 1110 public elementary schools	59.7%	230	50.0	79.3	85.2	77.8	44.1	69.0	77.8	69.0	$10,316	$706	$9,610
Meadville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1011 Meadville School Loop	Nathalie	24577	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 349-1012	173	11	16.2	100.6%	106 (61.3%)	57 (32.9%)	3 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.0%)	57.2	518^th of 1111 public elementary schools	53.4%		67.4	387^th of 1110 public elementary schools	65.1%	131	72.7	76.7	78.6	71.4	72.7	80.0	82.1	56.7	$9,780	$25	$9,755
Sydnor Jennings Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1011 Sydnor Jennings Rd	Nathalie	24577	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 349-1013	157	17	9.2	96.2%	76 (48.4%)	55 (35.0%)	7 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (12.1%)	52	591^st of 1111 public elementary schools	46.8%		37.1	747^th of 1110 public elementary schools	32.7%	156	75.0	80.8	57.1	61.9	70.0	80.8	66.7	76.9	$13,219	$576	$12,643

Frequently Asked Questions about South Boston Elementary

What district is South Boston Elementary in?

Halifax County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of South Boston Elementary?

Students at South Boston Elementary are 55% African American, 27% White, 9% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of South Boston Elementary attend?

Students who attend South Boston Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Halifax County Middle
High : Halifax County High

Is South Boston Elementary a good school?

South Boston Elementary ranks 652^nd of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend South Boston Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 683 students attended South Boston Elementary.

Rate South Boston 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.