Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 22560

Zip code 22560 is home to one elementary school, Tappahannock Elementary, serving grades PK through 4 in Tappahannock, Virginia. It is part of Essex County Public Schools, which ranks in the bottom tier of Virginia districts. Tappahannock Elementary enrolls 400 students, maintains a low student–teacher ratio of 12.5, and spends $7,464 per student. The school serves an almost uniformly high-poverty population, with a free/reduced lunch rate recorded at 102.5% (likely reflecting a community-eligibility reporting method). Despite these challenges, chronic absenteeism stands at a relatively healthy 12.7%—slightly better than both the district (14.5%) and state (14.8%) averages.

Academically, Tappahannock Elementary has shown inconsistency. In 2025-26, its statewide rank dropped sharply to 974th out of 1,111 schools (12th percentile), after sitting near the 29th percentile the prior year. Third-grade math was a bright spot in 2024-25, with 89.23% proficiency—well above the state’s 72.89%—but that score collapsed to 65.75% in 2025-26, falling below the new state average. Fourth-grade math remained weak both years (57.14% and 52.46%). Reading proficiency lagged state averages across all grades and years, with fourth-grade reading falling from 65.79% to 57.38%. Fourth-grade VA Studies proficiency also trailed the state by roughly 24–26 percentage points in both years, despite the school often outperforming its low-ranked district across most subjects.

The most striking trend is the dramatic drop in third-grade math, which appears to have driven the school’s ranking plunge. A likely cohort effect makes the situation clearer: the students who scored 89% in third-grade math in 2024-25 scored just 52% in fourth grade the following year, suggesting the earlier result may have been an anomaly or that the transition to fourth-grade content proved especially challenging. With nearly all students facing economic disadvantage, targeted academic support is clearly needed. On the positive side, the school’s favorable student–teacher ratio and attendance record provide a solid foundation. However, the school has now earned a 1-star rating for three consecutive years, and its recent decline places it in the bottom 12% of Virginia elementary schools. Stabilizing math scores and maintaining attendance gains will be critical to reversing the downward trajectory.