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Gretna Elementary

Q: Is Gretna Elementary a good school?

Gretna Elementary ranks 579 th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

579^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 48% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Gretna Elementary is a PK–5 school in Gretna, Virginia, serving 493 students as part of Pittsylvania County Public Schools, a district ranked 23rd out of 131 Virginia districts. The school serves a high-poverty population, with nearly 83% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Like nearby schools in the region, Gretna has a significant share of students facing economic challenges, and its overall performance has historically been solid — ranking in the 80th–83rd percentile statewide in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

However, the 2025-26 school year brought Gretna's lowest ranking in a decade: 48th percentile statewide, or 579th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools, earning just 2 stars. Test scores tell a similar story. Third-grade math proficiency fell to 65%, down nearly 20 points from the year before — the lowest among all comparable nearby schools. Fifth-grade science (66%) and fourth-grade reading (72%) also trail the district average. By contrast, Union Hall Elementary, which serves a nearly identical poverty population, ranks 8th in Virginia with 100% proficiency in several subjects. Even schools with higher poverty rates, such as Mount Airy Elementary, Chatham Elementary, and John L. Hurt Elementary, all outperform Gretna.

One notable difference is attendance. Gretna's chronic absenteeism rate is 13%, well above every other Pittsylvania County school — Union Hall Elementary sits at just 2.9%. The good news: Gretna continues to support low-income students relatively well, and the district itself remains strong. Spending is moderate at $9,012 per student with a student-teacher ratio of 13.6. For parents, the picture is one of a school that was recently strong but has slipped, with attendance and early-grade math and reading support as the clearest areas for improvement.

493

Students ?

13.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$7,955

Per pupil spending ?

83.0%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

302 Franklin Blvd South
Gretna, VA 24557

(434) 630-1808

District: Pittsylvania County Public Schools

Students who attend Gretna Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Gretna Middle
High:	Gretna High

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.3%

African American:

26.6%

Hispanic:

4.1%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare Gretna Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 69th percentile in 2016 → 48th in 2026

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 21 percentile points since 2016

!Near the bottom of Pittsylvania County Public Schools's ranking

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school72%

District avg78%

Virginia avg72%

579^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 48%▼ down 21 pts since 2016

From top 31% (2016) to bottom 48% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

9^th of 10Elementary Schools in the Pittsylvania County Public Schools

23^rd of 131Pittsylvania 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	53.0	579 of 1111	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	68.3	372 of 1110	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	74.9	282 of 1114	74.7%	★★★★☆
2023	62.8	434 of 1114	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	78.6	220 of 1109	80.2%	★★★★☆
2021	81.6	183 of 1103	83.4%	★★★★☆
2019	60.6	487 of 1105	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	70.4	307 of 1097	72.0%	★★★★☆
2017	70.9	291 of 1099	73.5%	★★★★☆
2016	67.5	342 of 1096	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2015	72.6	256 of 1100	76.7%	★★★★☆
2014	47.8	636 of 1110	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	48.8	613 of 1120	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	65.6	348 of 1117	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2011	57.2	504 of 1117	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2010	58.7	472 of 1113	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2009	56.5	487 of 1082	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2008	53.6	551 of 1081	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	58.5	459 of 1083	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2006	71.1	254 of 1071	76.3%	★★★★☆
2005	62.8	393 of 1062	63.0%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	46.9	345 of 591	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	71.3	141 of 579	75.6%	★★★★☆
2024	81.9	67 of 588	88.6%	★★★★☆
2023	88.0	37 of 579	93.6%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	44.7	669 of 1100	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	60.5	452 of 1096	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.2	322 of 1098	70.7%	★★★★☆
2023	62.2	426 of 1100	61.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	60.0	408 of 1040	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	71.7	233 of 1046	77.7%	★★★★☆
2024	76.6	167 of 1036	83.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	59.7	462 of 1099	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.3	302 of 1093	72.4%	★★★★☆
2024	73.6	286 of 1101	74.0%	★★★★☆
2023	60.6	448 of 1093	59.0%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	46.4	589 of 974	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	55.7	472 of 973	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.6	425 of 979	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.6	594 of 984	39.6%	★★☆☆☆

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)61st percentile+13 vs school

Male (2026)58th percentile+10 vs school

African American (2026)42nd percentile-6 vs school

White (2026)40th percentile-8 vs school

Female (2026)39th percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

VA Studies75%+5 vs state

Mathematics74%~ state avg

English Reading72%~ state avg

Science66%-3 vs state

★

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Schools Near Gretna 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 (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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
Gretna Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	302 Franklin Blvd South	Gretna	24557	Pittsylvania County	Pittsylvania County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 630-1808	493	36	13.6	83.0%	332 (67.3%)	131 (26.6%)	20 (4.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.6%)	53	579^th of 1111 public elementary schools	47.9%		68.3	372^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	66.5%	207	65.1	82.5	79.0	66.1	69.9	71.9	74.2	75.4	$7,955	$981	$6,974
Chatham Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	245 Chatham Elementary Lane	Chatham	24531	Pittsylvania County	Pittsylvania County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 432-6461	236	23	10.2	86.0%	153 (64.8%)	53 (22.5%)	24 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.1%)	59.8	479^th of 1111 public elementary schools	56.9%		56.9	519^th of 1110 public elementary schools	53.2%	40	80.6	77.8	82.4	88.2	75.0	63.0	76.5	51.9	$13,639	$1,583	$12,056
Union Hall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Union Hall Cir	Chatham	24531	Pittsylvania County	Pittsylvania County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 724-7010	183	17	10.7	85.8%	129 (70.5%)	34 (18.6%)	10 (5.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.9%)	75	278^th of 1111 public elementary schools	75.0%		94.3	8^th of 1110 public elementary schools	99.3%	270	73.0	90.0	100.0	96.3	59.5	90.0	88.9	93.3	$12,113	$1,792	$10,321
Mount Airy Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Mt Airy Elementary Cir	Gretna	24557	Pittsylvania County	Pittsylvania County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 630-1816	141	15	9.4	85.8%	80 (56.7%)	43 (30.5%)	11 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.0%)	83	158^th of 1111 public elementary schools	85.8%		82.3	173^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	84.4%	15	85.0	84.6	96.4	92.9	75.0	84.6	85.7	84.6	$13,213	$2,062	$11,151
John L. Hurt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	315 Prospect Rd	Hurt	24563	Pittsylvania County	Pittsylvania County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 630-1812	257	19	13.5	87.5%	175 (68.1%)	63 (24.5%)	7 (2.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.3%)	81.5	179^th of 1111 public elementary schools	83.9%		78.9	231^st of 1110 public elementary schools	79.2%	52	78.4	82.2	88.2	91.2	81.1	93.3	91.2	84.4	$9,743	$850	$8,893
Altavista Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1003 Lynch Mill Rd	Altavista	24517	Campbell County	Campbell County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 369-5665	497	36	13.9	78.1%	269 (54.1%)	147 (29.6%)	31 (6.2%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (9.3%)	63.5	432^nd of 1111 public elementary schools	61.1%		47.3	633^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	43.0%	201	80.8	75.3	85.3	77.3	70.5	75.3	73.3	77.3	$8,943	$784	$8,159
Huddleston Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1027 Huddleston Drive	Huddleston	24104	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 297-5144	221	16	13.5	—	173 (78.3%)	23 (10.4%)	6 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	17 (7.7%)	54.5	565^th of 1111 public elementary schools	49.1%		46.7	646^th of 1110 public elementary schools	41.8%	81	69.7	75.7	50.0	75.8	78.1	81.1	67.7	81.1	$10,195	$1,342	$8,853
Southside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	440 East Witt Rd	Blairs	24527	Pittsylvania County	Pittsylvania County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 836-0006	428	33	12.9	83.6%	255 (59.6%)	132 (30.8%)	19 (4.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.7%)	76.5	265^th of 1111 public elementary schools	76.1%		87.8	77^th of 1110 public elementary schools	93.1%	188	67.2	100.0	92.9	82.6	62.1	98.3	90.0	87.9	$8,925	$1,117	$7,809
Twin Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Twin Springs Elem Cir	Danville	24540	Danville city	Pittsylvania County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 724-2666	618	41	15.0	84.1%	412 (66.7%)	128 (20.7%)	46 (7.4%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.7%)	71.3	334^th of 1111 public elementary schools	69.9%		77.9	248^th of 1110 public elementary schools	77.7%	86	86.5	83.6	78.9	73.3	77.5	82.7	80.0	77.3	$7,812	$212	$7,600
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	—	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	$11,260	$533	$10,727

Frequently Asked Questions about Gretna Elementary

Is Gretna Elementary a good school?

Gretna Elementary ranks 579^th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Gretna Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 493 students attended Gretna Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Gretna Elementary attend?

Students who attend Gretna Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Gretna Middle
High : Gretna High

What is the racial makeup of Gretna Elementary?

Students at Gretna Elementary are 67% White, 27% African American, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Gretna Elementary in?

Pittsylvania County Public Schools

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Latest Virginia data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 SOL test scoresAug 25, 2026

2021–22 school spending dataFeb 16, 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.