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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 22560

At a glance

Schools

1,092

Students

Top rankedEssex High199^th of 331 Virginia high schools

Summary:

Zip code 22560 in Tappahannock, Virginia is served by three public schools — Tappahannock Elementary (PK–4), James H. Cary Intermediate (5–8), and Essex High (9–12) — all part of Essex County Public Schools, a small rural district ranked 113th out of 131 Virginia districts. With roughly 1,092 students enrolled, every school serves an almost entirely high-poverty population, as free/reduced lunch eligibility ranges from 99.67% to over 102%. The district carries a 1-star rating, but the school-level data reveals a more complex picture.

Essex High is the clear standout. It graduates 94.7% of students versus the state average of 92.3%, holds a dropout rate of just 2.0%, and ranks in the 40th percentile among Virginia high schools — the highest of the three schools. It outperforms the state in 11th-grade reading, biology, Algebra II, and U.S./VA History. James H. Cary Intermediate presents a stark internal split: 8th graders taking Algebra I and Geometry scored 100% proficiency, yet 6th-grade math proficiency was just 18.97% versus the state's 63.19%. Tappahannock Elementary showed early-grade promise with 3rd-grade math at 89.23% in 2024–2025, but that dropped to 65.75% in 2025–2026.

All three schools have seen their state percentile rankings decline since 2023–2024, with Tappahannock Elementary falling from the 28th to the 12th percentile. Chronic absenteeism rises with grade level — 12.7% at Tappahannock Elementary, 15.1% at James H. Cary Intermediate, and 15.7% at Essex High. Notably, James H. Cary Intermediate spends the most per student ($8,708) and has the smallest class sizes, yet still struggles with grade-level math and reading. Essex High spends the least ($6,879) but delivers the strongest outcomes. For parents, the most urgent needs are middle-school math, high-school world history and geography, and 4th-grade Virginia Studies — while the advanced math programs at James H. Cary Intermediate and Essex High's graduation practices could serve as models for the rest of the district.

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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 Geometry (2026)			SOL Algebra I (2026)						SOL Algebra II (2026)		SOL Mathematics (2026)						SOL Biology (2026)				SOL Science (2026)		SOL English Reading (2026)										SOL Geography (2026)				SOL VA and US History (2026)			SOL World History I (2026)				SOL Civics and Economics (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 Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Geometry 9th Grade	SOL Geometry 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 11th Grade	SOL Algebra I 12th Grade	SOL Algebra II 9th Grade	SOL Algebra II 10th 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 Biology 9th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Biology 12th 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 English Reading 9th Grade	SOL English Reading 10th Grade	SOL English Reading 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 12th Grade	SOL Geography 9th Grade	SOL Geography 10th Grade	SOL Geography 11th Grade	SOL Geography 12th Grade	SOL VA and US History 10th Grade	SOL VA and US History 11th Grade	SOL VA and US History 12th Grade	SOL World History I 9th Grade	SOL World History I 10th Grade	SOL World History I 11th Grade	SOL World History I 12th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Essex High	Public	9-12	833 High School Circle	Tappahannock	22560	Essex County	Essex County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(804) 443-4301	393	29	13.6	100.5%	102 (26.0%)	222 (56.5%)	27 (6.9%)	5 (1.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	34 (8.7%)	50	199^th of 331 public high schools	39.9%		49.9	201^st of 328 public high schools	38.7%	2		389.0	< 50%			81.1	359.0	402.0	421.0	421.0	< 50%							≥ 50%	75.0	≥ 50%	463.0									≥ 50%	≥ 50%	91.6	≥ 50%	50.8	44.2	398.0	418.0	≥ 50%	42.9	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	449.0	443.0	≥ 50%			$6,879	$00	$6,879
James H. Cary Intermediate	Public	5-8	912 Intermediate School Circle	Tappahannock	22560	Essex County	Essex County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 443-3040	299	27	11.1	99.7%	74 (24.7%)	157 (52.5%)	20 (6.7%)	7 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (13.4%)	27	337^th of 416 public middle schools	19.0%		33.5	311^th of 419 public middle schools	25.8%	26	≥ 50%			≥ 50%	100.0									52.5	19.0	44.8	37.0					58.9	51.6			69.9	59.7	52.0	73.0																71.4		$8,708	$957	$7,751
Tappahannock Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	205 Elementary School Circle	Tappahannock	22560	Essex County	Essex County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 443-5301	400	32	12.5	102.5%	102 (25.5%)	213 (53.3%)	21 (5.3%)	5 (1.3%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (14.0%)	16.6	974^th of 1111 public elementary schools	12.3%		33.4	793^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	28.6%	181												65.8	52.5											54.8	57.4																					44.3	$7,464	$586	$6,878

Cities Near Zip Code 22560

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Tappahannock	0.16 mi	4	294^th
Warsaw	6.54 mi	7	239^th
Haynesville	10.87 mi	2
Montross	11.02 mi	2	243^rd
Saint Stephens Church	12.79 mi	1	344^th

See the top VA Virginia cities

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.