Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

William M. Bass Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1069^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 4% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

William M. Bass Elementary is a small PK-5 school in Lynchburg, VA that serves roughly 188 students, nearly 95% of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is part of Lynchburg City Public Schools, a district that ranks in the bottom 4% of Virginia districts. Bass's state ranking has swung dramatically in recent years — from a high of the 57th percentile in 2022-23 down to the 4th percentile in 2025-26.

The most striking pattern is the recent academic decline. In 2023-24, William M. Bass Elementary outperformed its district in every tested subject, with 88% of 5th graders proficient in Virginia Studies and 78% of 3rd graders proficient in math. By 2025-26, proficiency fell sharply across nearly every subject — 5th grade reading dropped to 36% and 4th grade math to 39%, well below both district and state averages. This decline is especially striking when compared with nearby Paul Munro Elementary, which spends roughly half as much per student and has larger classes, yet ranks at the 54th percentile statewide. Because Bass has only about 188 students, small cohort sizes may be magnifying these year-to-year swings.

Despite the test scores, parents should know that Bass has genuine strengths. Its 9% chronic absenteeism rate in 2024-25 was the second-lowest among nearby elementary schools — far better than the district's 27% — and has improved steadily since 2021-22. The school also invests heavily in its students, spending $16,009 per pupil and maintaining a 9.4-to-1 student-teacher ratio, the lowest in the area. Given that Bass ranked at the 57th percentile as recently as 2022-23 and served low-income students at the 65th-71st percentile statewide just two years ago, the school has clearly proven it can achieve strong results. The 2025-26 decline — particularly for male students, who now rank in the bottom 2% of Virginia elementary schools — deserves close attention from families and school leadership alike.

188

Students ?

9.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,009

Per pupil spending ?

94.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1730 Seabury Ave
Lynchburg, VA 24501-4426

(434) 515-5200

District: Lynchburg City Public Schools

Students who attend William M. Bass Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Sandusky Middle
High:	Heritage High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

45.7%

White:

22.9%

Two or more races:

19.7%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare William M. Bass Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 3rd percentile in 2016 → 4th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Virginia average (43% vs 72% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (4th percentile)

!VA Studies scores 36 pts below the Virginia average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school43%

District avg54%

Virginia avg72%

1,069^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 4%▲ up 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

7^th of 10Elementary Schools in the Lynchburg City Public Schools

126^th of 131Lynchburg City 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	5.1	1069 of 1111	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	34.9	773 of 1110	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.7	644 of 1114	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	59.6	483 of 1114	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	34.0	795 of 1109	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	10.6	1006 of 1103	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	34.4	822 of 1105	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	12.5	1021 of 1097	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	2.0	1088 of 1099	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	6.8	1065 of 1096	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	9.4	1059 of 1100	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	27.7	914 of 1110	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	30.5	872 of 1120	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	33.2	900 of 1117	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	60.8	437 of 1117	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2010	68.7	293 of 1113	73.7%	★★★★☆
2009	57.3	474 of 1082	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2008	62.3	402 of 1081	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2007	20.4	990 of 1083	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	19.5	986 of 1071	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	68.2	296 of 1062	72.1%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	18.2	532 of 591	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	64.8	185 of 579	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	76.7	112 of 588	81.0%	★★★★☆
2023	72.5	126 of 579	78.2%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	17.1	970 of 1100	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	64.2	403 of 1096	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.0	682 of 1098	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	61.0	440 of 1100	60.0%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	12.6	979 of 1040	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	66.6	300 of 1046	71.3%	★★★★☆
2024	64.3	359 of 1036	65.3%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	3.1	1076 of 1099	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	19.6	925 of 1093	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	50.8	582 of 1101	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	60.7	447 of 1093	59.1%	★★★☆☆

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)

Female (2026)12th percentile+8 vs school

African American (2026)10th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)6th percentile~ school

Male (2026)2nd percentile~ school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics47%-27 vs state

Science45%-23 vs state

English Reading43%-28 vs state

VA Studies35%-36 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate William M. Bass Elementary and help other families decide.

Rate William M. Bass Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near William M. Bass Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

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
William M. Bass Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1730 Seabury Ave	Lynchburg	24501	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5200	188	20	9.4	94.7%	43 (22.9%)	86 (45.7%)	21 (11.2%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (19.7%)	5.1	1069^th of 1111 public elementary schools	3.8%		34.9	773^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	30.4%	296	51.3	38.6	54.6	45.5	48.7	43.9	36.4	34.6	$16,009	$3,045	$12,964
Robert S. Payne Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1201 Floyd St	Lynchburg	24501	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5270	435	33	13.1	97.2%	79 (18.2%)	280 (64.4%)	34 (7.8%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (9.0%)	3.6	1084^th of 1111 public elementary schools	2.4%		4.8	1074^th of 1110 public elementary schools	3.2%	10	44.1	21.2	22.5	41.4	36.8	53.0	47.1	43.1	$9,579	$2,364	$7,215
Dearington Elementary/Innovation	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	210 Smyth St	Lynchburg	24501	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(434) 515-5220	180	19	9.4	98.3%	29 (16.1%)	117 (65.0%)	11 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (11.7%)	2.7	1093^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	1.6%		24.3	884^th of 1110 public elementary schools	20.4%	209	45.5	37.8	35.6	42.2	36.4	32.4	40.0	44.4	$15,178	$2,100	$13,078
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
Madison Heights Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	287 Learning Lane	Madison Heights	24572	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 846-2151	449	32	14.0	84.0%	218 (48.6%)	127 (28.3%)	47 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (12.5%)	18.7	957^th of 1111 public elementary schools	13.9%		24.1	886^th of 1110 public elementary schools	20.2%	71	58.1	58.8	49.2	57.1	54.8	66.7	57.1	52.9	$9,665	$1,688	$7,978
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
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
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
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
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%)	43.5	696^th of 1111 public elementary schools	37.4%		36.6	750^th of 1110 public elementary schools	32.4%	54	78.7	75.0	50.0	69.2	68.0	63.3	68.8	67.8	$10,827	$1,504	$9,323

Frequently Asked Questions about William M. Bass Elementary

How many students attend William M. Bass Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 188 students attended William M. Bass Elementary.

What schools do graduates of William M. Bass Elementary attend?

Students who attend William M. Bass Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sandusky Middle
High : Heritage High

Is William M. Bass Elementary a good school?

William M. Bass Elementary ranks in the bottom 3.8% of Virginia elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of William M. Bass Elementary?

Students at William M. Bass Elementary are 46% African American, 23% White, 20% Two or more races, 11% Hispanic.

What district is William M. Bass Elementary in?

Lynchburg City Public Schools

Rate William M. Bass Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

VAVirginia Elementary School Rankings

VAVirginia District Rankings

Schools in Lynchburg, VA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for William M. Bass Elementary!

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.