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Wise Primary

Q: Is Wise Primary a good school?

Wise Primary ranks 138 th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

138^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 88% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Wise Primary is an elementary school serving 603 students in grades PK-4 in Wise, Virginia, and is part of Wise County Public Schools, a district ranked 2nd out of 131 districts statewide. The school itself ranks 138th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools — the 88th percentile with a 4-star rating — despite serving a student body where 87% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Wise Primary beats state averages by roughly 13 to 19 percentage points across all tested subjects. For example, 3rd grade reading proficiency is 87.0% compared to the state average of 67.6%, and 4th grade math proficiency is 84.4% versus 73.3% statewide.

The school's results with specific groups of students are especially noteworthy. Economically disadvantaged students rank in the 97th percentile statewide, while male students rank in the 96th percentile — flipping the typical pattern where girls outperform boys in elementary school. Disabled students also rank in the 80th percentile. Class sizes are moderate at a 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio, and per-pupil spending of $8,901 sits in the middle of the pack locally. Chronic absenteeism was 11.9% in 2024-2025 — better than the district rate of 15.0% and the state rate of 14.8% — though it jumped from just 2.7% the prior year, so it is worth watching.

While Wise Primary is a strong school by state standards, it sits in an extraordinary district. Nearby Wise County schools like St. Paul Elementary (ranked 2nd), Coeburn Primary (15th), Union Primary (49th), and J.W. Adams Combined (54th) post even higher proficiency rates, and Wise Primary trails its district average in math by 7-9 points. Compared to schools just outside the district, however, the contrast is striking: Norton Elementary, only 3.34 miles away, ranks 478th statewide with 3rd-grade reading at 60.7%, while Nickelsville Elementary and Castlewood Elementary rank in the 42nd and 17th percentiles respectively. Test scores have trended upward over the past decade, and Wise Primary is one of the stronger elementary schools in the region, especially for economically disadvantaged and male learners.

603

Students ?

13.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,878

Per pupil spending ?

87.2%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

323 Railroad Ave SE
Wise, VA 24293

(276) 328-8019

District: Wise County Public Schools

Students who attend Wise Primary usually attend:

Middle:	Coeburn Middle
	L.F. Addington Middle
	Union Middle
High:	Central High
	Eastside High
	Union High

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.9%

Two or more races:

4.1%

Hispanic:

4.0%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare Wise Primary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 75th percentile in 2016 → 88th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Virginia average (87% vs 72% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 12% of Virginia elementary schools

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

Worth a look

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

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school87%

District avg92%

Virginia avg72%

138^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 12%▲ up 13 pts since 2016

From top 25% (2016) to top 12% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 5Elementary Schools in the Wise County Public Schools

2^nd of 131Wise 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	84.4	138 of 1111	87.6%	★★★★☆
2025	85.2	120 of 1110	89.2%	★★★★☆
2024	78.2	240 of 1114	78.5%	★★★★☆
2023	77.1	243 of 1114	78.2%	★★★★☆
2022	81.1	195 of 1109	82.4%	★★★★☆
2021	79.3	215 of 1103	80.5%	★★★★☆
2019	76.6	217 of 1105	80.4%	★★★★☆
2018	75.4	220 of 1097	79.9%	★★★★☆
2017	74.6	233 of 1099	78.8%	★★★★☆
2016	72.0	277 of 1096	74.7%	★★★★☆
2015	69.1	313 of 1100	71.5%	★★★★☆
2014	66.5	339 of 1110	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	76.3	204 of 1120	81.8%	★★★★☆
2012	72.0	248 of 1117	77.8%	★★★★☆
2011	43.2	743 of 1117	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	50.5	634 of 1113	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	65.5	350 of 1082	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2008	69.3	283 of 1081	73.8%	★★★★☆
2007	41.9	727 of 1083	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2006	43.5	714 of 1071	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2005	65.6	341 of 1062	67.9%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	73.6	84 of 420	80.0%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	77.7	216 of 1100	80.4%	★★★★☆
2025	81.0	170 of 1096	84.5%	★★★★☆
2024	78.1	212 of 1098	80.7%	★★★★☆
2023	81.4	154 of 1100	86.0%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	90.6	31 of 1040	97.0%	★★★★★
2025	89.6	41 of 1046	96.1%	★★★★★
2024	79.5	137 of 1036	86.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	89.1	47 of 1099	95.7%	★★★★★
2025	86.0	93 of 1093	91.5%	★★★★★
2024	73.7	281 of 1101	74.5%	★★★★☆
2023	68.2	345 of 1093	68.4%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	67.9	305 of 974	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	71.3	261 of 973	73.2%	★★★★☆
2024	59.0	439 of 979	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.7	469 of 984	52.3%	★★★☆☆

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)97th percentile+9 vs school

Male (2026)96th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2026)80th percentile-7 vs school

Disabled (2026)80th percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)69th percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

VA Studies90%+19 vs state

English Reading89%+18 vs state

Mathematics85%+11 vs state

★

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Schools Near Wise Primary

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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 Algebra I (2026)	SOL Mathematics (2026)						SOL Science (2026)		SOL English Reading (2026)						SOL Civics and Economics (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 Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Wise Primary	Public	PK, KG-4	323 Railroad Ave SE	Wise	24293	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 328-8019	603	45	13.4	87.2%	524 (86.9%)	20 (3.3%)	24 (4.0%)	9 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.1%)	84.4	138^th of 1111 public elementary schools	87.6%		85.2	120^th of 1110 public elementary schools	89.2%	18		85.7	84.4							87.0	90.0						90.0	$8,878	$1,019	$7,860
Norton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-7	205 E Park Ave	Norton	24273	Norton city	Norton City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 679-0971	527	39	13.6	—	455 (86.3%)	15 (2.8%)	12 (2.3%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (7.6%)	59.8	478^th of 1111 public elementary schools	57.0%		54.3	549^th of 1110 public elementary schools	50.5%	71		78.6	81.0	82.0	75.4	79.5		66.0		60.7	77.6	68.0	75.4	83.1		78.7	87.9	$10,281	$53	$10,228
Coeburn Primary	Public	PK, KG-4	332 School House Hill Dr.	Coeburn	24230	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 395-6100	420	35	12.0	87.6%	369 (87.9%)	15 (3.6%)	12 (2.9%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.8%)	92.8	15^th of 1111 public elementary schools	98.6%		87.8	79^th of 1110 public elementary schools	92.9%	64		96.5	98.7							91.2	93.2						91.9	$8,679	$900	$7,778
J.W. Adams Combined	Public	PK, KG-8	10824 Orby Cantrell Hwy	Pound	24279	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 796-5419	523	42	12.5	85.7%	469 (89.7%)	21 (4.0%)	16 (3.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.7%)	89.2	54^th of 1111 public elementary schools	95.1%		82.9	164^th of 1110 public elementary schools	85.2%	110	100.0	93.2	95.9	85.7	93.3	80.0	90.0	80.0	95.4	94.9	95.9	94.3	88.9	93.8	97.7	93.6	85.7	$9,013	$581	$8,432
Union Primary	Public	PK, KG-4	2945 Second Avenue East	Big Stone Gap	24219	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 523-4900	809	61	13.2	90.1%	721 (89.1%)	29 (3.6%)	11 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (5.8%)	89.7	49^th of 1111 public elementary schools	95.6%		86.7	92^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	91.7%	43		91.7	94.3							83.5	92.7						93.5	$8,152	$808	$7,343
Dungannon Elementary	Public	PK, KG-7	113 Fifth Avenue	Dungannon	24245	Scott County	Scott County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 467-2281	131	14	9.5	74.0%	126 (96.2%)	1 (0.8%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.5%)	57.1	521^st of 1111 public elementary schools	53.1%		61.7	458^th of 1110 public elementary schools	58.7%	63		62.5	75.0	70.6	84.6	75.0		76.5		56.3	100.0	70.6	76.9	65.0		70.0	91.7	$13,591	$1,913	$11,679
Ridgeview Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	300 Wolfpack Way	Clintwood	24228	Dickenson County	Dickenson County Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(276) 835-1602	667	58	11.5	96.0%	644 (96.6%)	4 (0.6%)	10 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.2%)	65.1	413^th of 1111 public elementary schools	62.8%		64.8	422^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	62.0%	9		86.7	75.6							75.9	78.9						71.5	$11,227	$1,516	$9,711
St. Paul Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	3200 Deacon Drive	Saint Paul	24283	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 762-5941	514	44	11.6	86.8%	473 (92.0%)	14 (2.7%)	8 (1.6%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.7%)	95.8	2^nd of 1111 public elementary schools	99.8%		95.4	4^th of 1110 public elementary schools	99.6%	2	100.0	100.0	100.0	97.5	97.9	95.0	100.0	97.5	100.0	100.0	100.0	95.0	95.8	92.3	92.9	92.3	100.0	$8,704	$637	$8,067
Castlewood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-7	242 Blue Devil Circle	Castlewood	24224	Russell County	Russell County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 762-2315	354	33	10.6	91.5%	338 (95.5%)	5 (1.4%)	8 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	22.6	919^th of 1111 public elementary schools	17.3%		31.7	809^th of 1110 public elementary schools	27.1%	110		40.0	52.2	52.8	69.7	60.0		38.9		45.7	67.4	72.2	72.7	80.0		62.2	47.8	$9,913	$1,003	$8,909
Nickelsville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-7	11415 Nickesville Hwy	Nickelsville	24271	Scott County	Scott County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 479-2676	302	22	13.6	73.8%	277 (91.7%)	3 (1.0%)	14 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.6%)	47.6	642^nd of 1111 public elementary schools	42.2%		62.2	451^st of 1110 public elementary schools	59.4%	191		58.8	82.1	74.2	84.4	85.7		54.8		67.7	79.5	54.8	84.4	94.3		88.6	53.9	$9,297	$1,634	$7,663

Frequently Asked Questions about Wise Primary

What schools do graduates of Wise Primary attend?

Students who attend Wise Primary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Coeburn Middle
Middle : L.F. Addington Middle
Middle : Union Middle
High : Central High
High : Eastside High
High : Union High

How many students attend Wise Primary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 603 students attended Wise Primary.

Is Wise Primary a good school?

Wise Primary ranks 138^th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Wise Primary in?

Wise County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Wise Primary?

Students at Wise Primary are 87% White, 4% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 3% African American, 1% Asian.

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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.