Summary:
Zip code 22655 in Stephens City, Virginia is home to two public schools in Frederick County Public Schools: Sherando High (grades 9-12, 1,631 students) and Bass-Hoover Elementary (grades PK-5, 615 students). There are no middle schools in this zip code, and the district overall is ranked 104 out of 131 Virginia districts, placing it in the bottom 21st percentile.
Sherando High is the clear standout, ranking 208 out of 331 Virginia high schools (37th percentile). It posts exceptional results in Geometry (95.38% proficient), Algebra II (100%), and 11th-grade Writing (80.17%), and its dropout rate of 4.3% beats the state average of 5.0%. Bass-Hoover Elementary faces significant challenges by comparison, ranking 972 out of 1,111 elementary schools (13th percentile) and falling below district and state averages in every tested subject. The largest gaps are in 5th-grade science (43.88% vs. 68.75% statewide) and 5th-grade VA Studies (50.62% vs. 74.36%).
Spending is nearly identical at the two schools ($10,526 per student at Sherando vs. $10,707 at Bass-Hoover), and student-teacher ratios are similar (14.5 vs. 15.3), so the performance gap is not tied to funding or class size. Bass-Hoover does have a higher share of economically disadvantaged students (45.85% free/reduced lunch vs. 35.07%) and a better chronic absenteeism rate (13.8% vs. 16.3%). At Sherando, a two-tier pattern emerges: advanced math courses shine while Earth Science lags at 39.13% proficiency vs. 46.46% statewide. Bass-Hoover's 5th-grade scores are especially concerning because that is the transition year into middle school, suggesting students may leave underprepared.
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