Best Public Schools in Zip Code 22508

Zip code 22508 covers Locust Grove, Virginia, and contains 3 public schools serving grades PK through 8, all part of Orange County Public Schools, a district ranked 86th out of 131 divisions in Virginia. The three schools — Locust Grove Primary, Locust Grove Elementary, and Locust Grove Middle — enroll a combined 1,704 students, with roughly 69–71% of students at each school eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating consistently high economic need across the community. Notably, there is no high school in the zip code, so students must leave the area after 8th grade.

Locust Grove Middle is the clear academic standout, performing at or above state averages in 8th grade reading (74.09%), science (69.43%), and civics (77.66%), while posting near-perfect Algebra I proficiency at 98.36%. It also has the lowest student-teacher ratio (13.9) and highest per-pupil spending ($8,103). However, its general math picture is mixed: only 45.68% of 7th graders and 48.84% of 8th graders are proficient in math, with sharp declines from the prior year. By contrast, Locust Grove Elementary is the area of concern, ranking in the 24th percentile of Virginia elementary schools. Its 5th grade is the weakest point — math proficiency is 55.26% versus 72.39% statewide — and 3rd grade reading and math scores dropped roughly 10–13 points year over year. It also receives the least funding ($7,384 per pupil) and has the highest student-teacher ratio (16.7). Locust Grove Primary serves PK–2 and has no standardized test data, but its chronic absenteeism rate of 13.1% is below district and state averages.

Chronic absenteeism at all three schools falls below the district average of 18.3%, though the middle school's 16.4% exceeds the state average of 14.8%. The most pressing issues are general middle school math, 5th grade elementary achievement, and resource equity: the middle school enjoys more funding and smaller classes than the elementary school, which faces the greater academic challenges. Families should also plan for the high school transition outside 22508.