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South River Elementary

Q: Is South River Elementary a good school?

South River Elementary ranks 601 st of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

601^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 46% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

South River Elementary is a PK–5 school in Grottoes, VA, serving 316 students as part of Rockingham County Public Schools. The school currently ranks in the 46th percentile of Virginia elementary schools, a solid mid-tier result that marks a meaningful comeback from its 12th-percentile low in 2022–23, though it remains below its 78th-percentile peak from 2015–16.

South River's strongest academic showing comes in 4th grade. Reading proficiency sits at 81.1%, the highest among 11 nearby elementary schools and well above the state average of 73.7%. Fourth-grade VA Studies (91.5%) and math (75.9%) are also strong, trailing only Peak View Elementary among nearby schools. Science scores jumped from 56.9% to 75.6% in a single year, and social studies has improved steadily since 2022–23. Attendance is another bright spot: chronic absenteeism has fallen from 27.7% in 2021–22 to 10.0% in 2024–25, now below both district and state averages.

The main concern is early literacy. Third-grade reading proficiency dropped sharply from 65.3% to 51.8%, landing nearly 16 points below the state average. This is especially notable given how much stronger 4th and 5th grade reading scores are. South River also spends $10,908 per student, more than higher-performing neighbors like John W. Wayland Elementary and Peak View, yet outcomes haven't fully caught up. That doesn't mean the spending is wasted, but it suggests resources could be better targeted toward early literacy. With attendance improving and clear strengths in upper grades, the path forward is applying those successes to 3rd grade reading.

316

Students ?

14.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,908

Per pupil spending ?

65.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2101 Elm Ave
Grottoes, VA 24441

(540) 249-4001

District: Rockingham County Public Schools

Students who attend South River Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Montevideo Middle
High:	Spotswood High

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.1%

Hispanic:

19.9%

Two or more races:

8.2%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 12th percentile in 2023 → 46th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 46th (2026) from a 12th-percentile low (2023)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school72%

District avg68%

Virginia avg72%

601^st of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 46%▼ down 32 pts since 2016

From top 22% (2016) to bottom 46% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 15Elementary Schools in the Rockingham County Public Schools

68^th of 131Rockingham 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	50.9	601 of 1111	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.3	718 of 1110	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.3	808 of 1114	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.2	977 of 1114	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.7	799 of 1109	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	43.5	672 of 1103	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	58.9	506 of 1105	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.5	440 of 1097	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	64.7	384 of 1099	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	73.8	246 of 1096	77.6%	★★★★☆
2015	81.5	136 of 1100	87.6%	★★★★☆
2014	74.9	223 of 1110	79.9%	★★★★☆
2013	78.2	173 of 1120	84.6%	★★★★☆
2012	84.8	55 of 1117	95.1%	★★★★★
2011	81.4	98 of 1117	91.2%	★★★★★
2010	82.9	54 of 1113	95.1%	★★★★★
2009	52.2	561 of 1082	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	62.5	399 of 1081	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	76.5	166 of 1083	84.7%	★★★★☆
2006	65.2	346 of 1071	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2005	61.8	411 of 1062	61.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	51.9	579 of 1100	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.3	683 of 1096	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	28.2	852 of 1098	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.3	968 of 1100	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	44.8	360 of 619	41.8%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	47.7	578 of 1040	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.6	636 of 1046	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	53.4	508 of 1036	51.0%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	48.5	626 of 1099	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.0	764 of 1093	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.8	695 of 1101	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	15.2	974 of 1093	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	37.8	697 of 974	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	34.1	724 of 973	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.0	806 of 979	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	7.2	957 of 984	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)47th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)44th percentile~ school

Male (2026)43rd percentile-3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)42nd percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)28th percentile-17 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

VA Studies91%+21 vs state

Science76%+7 vs state

Mathematics70%-4 vs state

English Reading67%-4 vs state

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Schools Near South River 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 River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2101 Elm Ave	Grottoes	24441	Rockingham County	Rockingham County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 249-4001	316	21	14.9	65.8%	209 (66.1%)	18 (5.7%)	63 (19.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (8.2%)	50.9	601^st of 1111 public elementary schools	45.9%		40.3	718^th of 1110 public elementary schools	35.3%	117	67.9	75.9	63.4	75.6	51.8	81.1	70.0	91.5	$10,908	$755	$10,152
Cub Run Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1451 South Montevideo Circle	Penn Laird	22846	Rockingham County	Rockingham County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 289-5854	614	42	14.6	66.8%	373 (60.7%)	31 (5.0%)	149 (24.3%)	23 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.2%)	36.7	767^th of 1111 public elementary schools	31.0%		23.4	893^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	19.5%	126	49.4	58.3	71.8	76.4	43.4	68.9	73.0	65.6	$8,885	$1,082	$7,803
Peak View Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	641 Lawyer Rd.	Penn Laird	22846	Rockingham County	Rockingham County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 289-7510	538	37	14.5	44.8%	313 (58.2%)	17 (3.2%)	166 (30.9%)	20 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.1%)	69.5	355^th of 1111 public elementary schools	68.0%		65.9	405^th of 1110 public elementary schools	63.5%	50	87.2	80.2	78.9	74.4	74.2	75.8	77.9	93.4	$9,015	$183	$8,832
McGaheysville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9508 Spotswood Trail	McGaheysville	22840	Rockingham County	Rockingham County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 289-3004	262	18	14.7	40.8%	201 (76.7%)	2 (0.8%)	40 (15.3%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.5%)	35.8	776^th of 1111 public elementary schools	30.2%		33.1	800^th of 1110 public elementary schools	27.9%	24	57.1	52.8	87.5	75.0	59.5	63.9	60.0	63.9	$10,717	$917	$9,800
Edward G. Clymore Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	184 Fort Defiance Rd	Fort Defiance	24437	Augusta County	Augusta County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 245-5043	803	50	16.0	68.1%	615 (76.6%)	24 (3.0%)	120 (14.9%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (4.9%)	35.1	787^th of 1111 public elementary schools	29.2%		38.1	738^th of 1110 public elementary schools	33.5%	49	79.8	61.7	57.8	59.2	70.0	64.8	66.0	57.4	$7,565	$460	$7,105
Pleasant Valley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	215 Pleasant Valley Rd	Harrisonburg	22801	Harrisonburg city	Rockingham County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 434-4557	282	20	14.1	74.8%	150 (53.2%)	21 (7.4%)	90 (31.9%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.7%)	32.1	820^th of 1111 public elementary schools	26.2%		21.7	907^th of 1110 public elementary schools	18.3%	87	50.0	60.3	61.7	66.0	57.5	69.0	59.6	85.4	$10,797	$1,033	$9,764
Stone Spring Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1575 Peach Grove Ave	Harrisonburg	22801	Harrisonburg city	Harrisonburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 574-1199	554	38	14.7	84.8%	141 (25.5%)	89 (16.1%)	280 (50.5%)	13 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.4%)	10.4	1026^th of 1111 public elementary schools	7.7%		7.6	1047^th of 1110 public elementary schools	5.7%	21	54.0	36.4	65.1	58.7	46.7	33.3	45.2	39.2	$10,309	$1,276	$9,034
Cassell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1301 Rockfish Rd	Waynesboro	22980	Waynesboro city	Augusta County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 946-7635	634	41	15.4	71.1%	538 (84.9%)	17 (2.7%)	33 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (7.3%)	42.7	703^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	36.7%		45.6	661^st of 1110 public elementary schools	40.5%	42	79.8	66.7	70.6	62.8	67.0	70.2	64.4	62.4	$8,219	$761	$7,458
John W. Wayland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	801 North Main St	Bridgewater	22812	Rockingham County	Rockingham County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 828-6081	526	33	15.9	42.4%	378 (71.9%)	12 (2.3%)	98 (18.6%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (6.1%)	55.7	545^th of 1111 public elementary schools	50.9%		46.2	652^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	41.3%	107	76.5	66.7	85.3	80.3	76.5	72.4	72.1	65.9	$10,163	$370	$9,793
Smithland Elementary	Public	K-5	474 Linda Lane	Harrisonburg	22802	Harrisonburg city	Harrisonburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 434-6075	514	39	13.1	110.3%	112 (21.8%)	46 (8.9%)	321 (62.5%)	18 (3.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.1%)	16.9	973^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	12.4%		11.5	1013^th of 1110 public elementary schools	8.7%	40	51.8	58.2	64.7	63.6	40.0	54.6	57.7	37.8	$10,646	$1,165	$9,481

Frequently Asked Questions about South River Elementary

What district is South River Elementary in?

Rockingham County Public Schools

How many students attend South River Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 316 students attended South River Elementary.

What schools do graduates of South River Elementary attend?

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

Middle : Montevideo Middle
High : Spotswood High

What is the racial makeup of South River Elementary?

Students at South River Elementary are 66% White, 20% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 6% African American.

Is South River Elementary a good school?

South River Elementary ranks 601^st of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate South River 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.