Schools in Zip Code 22601

Zip code 22601 in Winchester, VA serves approximately 3,874 students across 7 public schools — 4 elementary schools serving PK–4 and 3 middle schools serving grades 5–8 — with no high schools located within the zip code. Six schools belong to Winchester City Public Schools and one, James Wood Middle, belongs to Frederick County Public Schools.

Frederick Douglass Elementary is the standout school in this area. Despite having an 83% free/reduced lunch rate, it beats state averages in 4th grade reading, math, and VA Studies, and has climbed from the 36th to the 59th percentile in state rankings over two years. At the other end, Virginia Avenue Charlotte Dehart Elementary is the lowest-performing elementary school, ranking in the 11th percentile, though it did improve from the prior year. Among the middle schools, James Wood Middle posts perfect scores in advanced math (100% in Geometry and 7th grade Algebra I) but falls below state averages in grade-level math and reading, and has the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 18%. Daniel Morgan Middle also excels at advanced math acceleration with 99.3% Algebra I proficiency, but its state ranking has slipped from the 33rd to the 25th percentile.

Average free/reduced lunch eligibility across the seven schools is a high 81.9%, yet chronic absenteeism is a relatively low 10.9% — below the state's 14.8%. Spending per student ranges widely, from $11,423 at James Wood Middle to $17,340 at Garland R. Quarles Elementary, but the data shows no simple relationship between spending and results. John Kerr Elementary spends relatively little yet outperforms the higher-spending Virginia Avenue, while Daniel Morgan Intermediate shares a campus and pathway with Daniel Morgan Middle for grades 5–8. The biggest takeaway for parents is that performance varies dramatically within this zip code, and tools like SchoolDigger ranks and proficiency rates are essential to evaluate individual schools, since the area's middle schools serve advanced students well but leave average performers below state averages. After 8th grade, families should plan for high schools outside the zip code.