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John W. Wayland Elementary

Q: Is John W. Wayland Elementary a good school?

John W. Wayland Elementary ranks 545 th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

545^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 51% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

John W. Wayland Elementary is a PK–5 school in Bridgewater, VA, serving 526 students within Rockingham County Public Schools. After a difficult stretch in the early 2020s, the school has rebounded sharply: its statewide rank improved from 807th (28th percentile) in 2022–2023 to 545th (51st percentile) in 2025–2026, earning 3 stars. It is the only nearby school scoring above the statewide median, outperforming all same-district neighbors by a wide margin.

Wayland exceeds district and state averages in nearly every tested subject. Particularly notable are 5th grade math (85.25% proficient vs. district 71.32% and state 72.39%), 5th grade science (80.33% vs. district 72.14% and state 68.75%), and 3rd grade reading (76.47% vs. district 59.53% and state 67.61%). The school also posts strong results for English Learner students, ranking in the 64th percentile statewide in 2024–2025. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low at 6.3% in 2024–2025, well below the district rate of 11.0% and state rate of 14.8%.

Wayland serves a comparatively lower-poverty population (42.4% free/reduced lunch) than nearby schools such as Mountain View Elementary and Pleasant Valley Elementary, which have substantially higher economic need. Its student-teacher ratio of 15.9 is higher than all nearby schools, yet it produces better academic results. The one relative weakness is 4th grade VA Studies at 65.91%, below the district average of 70.93%. Spending is near the middle of the pack at $10,163 per student. Low-income students have shown sharp improvement in recent years, jumping from the 14th to the 45th percentile statewide, and the school's main opportunity is to regain the top-quartile standing it held in the mid-2010s.

526

Students ?

15.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,163

Per pupil spending ?

42.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

801 North Main St
Bridgewater, VA 22812

(540) 828-6081

District: Rockingham County Public Schools

Students who attend John W. Wayland Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Wilbur S. Pence Middle
High:	Turner Ashby High

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.9%

Hispanic:

18.6%

Two or more races:

6.1%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare John W. Wayland Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 28th percentile in 2023 → 51st in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 51st (2026) from a 28th-percentile low (2023)

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Rockingham County Public Schools

✓Above the Virginia median (51st percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school74%

District avg68%

Virginia avg72%

545^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 49%▼ down 23 pts since 2016

From top 26% (2016) to top 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd 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	55.7	545 of 1111	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	46.2	652 of 1110	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.9	750 of 1114	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.7	807 of 1114	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	49.4	612 of 1109	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	51.5	568 of 1103	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	57.7	518 of 1105	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	68.9	332 of 1097	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	73.4	250 of 1099	77.3%	★★★★☆
2016	71.4	284 of 1096	74.1%	★★★★☆
2015	65.4	376 of 1100	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2014	63.3	390 of 1110	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	58.5	465 of 1120	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	63.2	386 of 1117	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	54.9	542 of 1117	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	45.5	727 of 1113	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	45.9	685 of 1082	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2008	57.1	490 of 1081	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2007	58.7	454 of 1083	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2006	55.3	512 of 1071	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2005	66.7	319 of 1062	70.0%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	60.5	118 of 326	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.5	93 of 306	69.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	53.7	554 of 1100	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.2	695 of 1096	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.6	830 of 1098	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.1	872 of 1100	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	56.5	269 of 619	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	33.0	446 of 606	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	40.4	394 of 580	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.0	315 of 564	44.1%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	47.8	576 of 1040	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	30.1	792 of 1046	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.2	888 of 1036	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	54.5	544 of 1099	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.2	576 of 1093	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.7	660 of 1101	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.7	696 of 1093	36.3%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	38.8	677 of 974	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.2	756 of 973	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.2	854 of 979	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.0	890 of 984	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2025)64th percentile+23 vs school

Hispanic (2026)57th percentile+6 vs school

Male (2026)51st percentile~ school

Female (2026)50th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)45th percentile-6 vs school

White (2026)30th percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Science80%+12 vs state

Mathematics75%~ state avg

English Reading74%+3 vs state

VA Studies66%-5 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, November 16, 2012

This is a great elementary school with wonderfully trained and caring teachers and staff!! Close Quote

Schools Near John W. Wayland 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
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
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
Bluestone Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	750 Garbers Church Road	Harrisonburg	22801	Harrisonburg city	Harrisonburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 432-3232	566	39	14.5	85.0%	186 (32.9%)	69 (12.2%)	263 (46.5%)	17 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.5%)	21	932^nd of 1111 public elementary schools	16.1%		17.9	951^st of 1110 public elementary schools	14.3%	19	75.0	56.0	55.3	67.0	47.1	53.3	58.4	45.5	$10,581	$1,153	$9,428
Mountain View Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2800 Rawley Pike	Harrisonburg	22801	Harrisonburg city	Rockingham County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 438-1965	411	30	13.7	63.7%	246 (59.9%)	18 (4.4%)	112 (27.3%)	19 (4.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.6%)	32.1	821^st of 1111 public elementary schools	26.1%		20.3	925^th of 1110 public elementary schools	16.7%	104	48.7	75.9	63.4	60.6	42.7	79.0	60.6	76.6	$10,146	$439	$9,706
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
Keister Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Maryland Avenue	Harrisonburg	22801	Harrisonburg city	Harrisonburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 434-6585	475	32	14.8	85.1%	170 (35.8%)	47 (9.9%)	231 (48.6%)	9 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.8%)	32.5	816^th of 1111 public elementary schools	26.6%		33.4	794^th of 1110 public elementary schools	28.5%	22	67.1	63.6	72.8	70.4	48.2	60.0	62.5	63.6	$9,800	$1,498	$8,302
Ottobine Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8646 Waggys Creek Rd	Dayton	22821	Rockingham County	Rockingham County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 879-2091	248	18	13.9	74.2%	225 (90.7%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.4%)	43.4	697^th of 1111 public elementary schools	37.3%		37.4	745^th of 1110 public elementary schools	32.9%	48	71.8	73.3	80.7	74.2	66.7	56.7	58.1	64.3	$10,127	$123	$10,004
Waterman Elementary	Public	K-5	451 Chicago Ave	Harrisonburg	22802	Harrisonburg city	Harrisonburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 434-8352	557	38	14.6	87.1%	105 (18.9%)	48 (8.6%)	366 (65.7%)	9 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.0%)	5.4	1064^th of 1111 public elementary schools	4.2%		7.4	1049^th of 1110 public elementary schools	5.5%	15	46.5	50.6	29.3	39.0	43.5	51.3	43.8	51.3	$10,139	$1,232	$8,907
Spotswood Elementary	Public	K-5	400 Mountain View Drive	Harrisonburg	22801	Harrisonburg city	Harrisonburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 434-3429	468	33	14.1	83.8%	121 (25.9%)	34 (7.3%)	269 (57.5%)	8 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (7.7%)	19.7	947^th of 1111 public elementary schools	14.8%		15.3	978^th of 1110 public elementary schools	11.9%	31	62.0	63.8	55.1	52.2	58.6	66.2	47.8	49.3	$11,412	$2,079	$9,333
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 John W. Wayland Elementary

How many students attend John W. Wayland Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 526 students attended John W. Wayland Elementary.

Is John W. Wayland Elementary a good school?

John W. Wayland Elementary ranks 545^th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is John W. Wayland Elementary in?

Rockingham County Public Schools

What schools do graduates of John W. Wayland Elementary attend?

Students who attend John W. Wayland Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Wilbur S. Pence Middle
High : Turner Ashby High

What is the racial makeup of John W. Wayland Elementary?

Students at John W. Wayland Elementary are 72% White, 19% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 2% African American.

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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.