Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 22603

ZIP code 22603 is served by a single middle school, Frederick County Middle, which enrolls 732 students in grades 6–8 within the Frederick County Public Schools district in Winchester, VA. This school has consistently ranked in the bottom fifth of Virginia middle schools, placing at the 20th percentile in 2025–2026, up slightly from the 15th percentile the prior year. A major concern is chronic absenteeism: 19.4% of students are chronically absent, compared to 16.0% in the district and 14.8% statewide. With 37.57% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, the school serves a meaningful share of economically disadvantaged families, though its student–teacher ratio of 13.5:1 is relatively favorable.

Academically, grade-level proficiency in math and English reading typically falls below state averages. In 2025–2026, 6th grade math proficiency was 45.7% versus 63.2% statewide, and 8th grade reading proficiency was 55.7% versus 73.5% statewide. The widest gap occurred in 7th grade reading in 2024–2025, when only 49.4% of students were proficient compared to 72.7% statewide. However, some scores improved sharply year over year: 7th grade math jumped from 39.4% to 53.9%, and 7th grade reading rose from 49.4% to 63.6%. There is also notable volatility, with 6th grade reading declining by 3.7 points, suggesting performance may be sensitive to each cohort’s strengths and challenges.

The clearest bright spot is advanced math: Frederick County Middle achieved 100% proficiency in Algebra I for 7th graders in 2025–2026 and for 8th graders in 2024–2025. This demonstrates the school can produce excellent results with high-achieving students, even as grade-level math and reading lag. The district itself ranks 104th out of 131 Virginia districts, placing it in the bottom quarter. While the school often outperforms district averages in specific subjects, the combination of chronic absenteeism, economic need, and below-state proficiency highlights the need for broader support. Reducing absenteeism and expanding successful strategies from advanced math to all students could help close the gap.