Summary:
Zip code 22727, covering the Madison, Virginia area, is home to one middle school, William H. Wetsel Middle School, which serves grades 6–8 with 356 students as part of Madison County Public Schools. The school operates with a favorable student–teacher ratio of 11.3 and serves a student body where 66.57% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. William H. Wetsel Middle School has shown notable improvement in its SchoolDigger ranking, moving from the 29th to the 35th percentile in the most recent school year.
The school's biggest strength is mathematics. In 2025–2026, 8th-grade math proficiency reached 73.24%, outperforming the state average by more than 26 percentage points. Algebra I performance was exceptional at 97.56% proficiency, and 7th-grade math also exceeded state averages by 8.63 points. Year-over-year gains in math were substantial, with 8th-grade math jumping 21.24 points and 6th-grade math rising 12.36 points. However, English reading remains a clear challenge, with proficiency in grades 6, 7, and 8 ranging from 61.82% to 67.86%, all below state averages by roughly 6 to 11 percentage points. Science proficiency also dropped sharply from 65.57% to 53.51%, landing 11.21 points below the state average.
Despite serving a predominantly low-income population, the school maintains a chronic absenteeism rate of 12.4%, better than the state average of 14.8%. Spending per student is $10,359, and the low student–teacher ratio may contribute to the school's relative success in math. While Madison County Public Schools ranks in the 24th percentile statewide, William H. Wetsel Middle School itself ranks in the 35th percentile, indicating the school is performing near the middle of the pack relative to its district. With strong math outcomes and improving reading scores, the school appears to be on an upward trajectory, though literacy and science will be important areas of focus moving forward.
Thank you for your feedback!