Summary:
ZIP code 23124 contains exactly one high school, New Kent High, a public school serving grades 9 through 12 and part of the top-ranked New Kent County Public Schools district. New Kent High is a standout performer, serving 1,073 students and contributing heavily to its district, which ranks 9th out of 131 districts in Virginia. The school's own state ranking has improved dramatically, jumping from 60th (2023–2024) to 26th (2025–2026) out of roughly 330 high schools, earning a prestigious 5-star rating.
Academically, New Kent High consistently outperforms the state average, posting roughly 81.6% proficiency across SOL tests in 2025–2026 compared to the state average of 72.2%. The school shows particular strengths in upper-grade Biology (87–91%), Geometry (up to 93%), and 11th-grade English Reading (95.9%). However, there are a few notable weak spots. 9th-grade Biology scores were just 62.5% versus the state's 86.1%, and 11th-grade VA/US History proficiency was only 19.05% compared to the state's 35.18%. Additionally, 12th-grade English Reading (66.7%) and 10th-grade Geography (50%) dipped below state averages, showing that while the school excels overall, specific cohorts can struggle.
Beyond test scores, New Kent High posts strong persistence metrics, with a 94.6% graduation rate exceeding the state's 92.3% and a 3.9% dropout rate below the state's 5.0%. One area to watch is chronic absenteeism: 13.3% of high schoolers are chronically absent, which is below the state average of 14.8% but notably higher than the district's overall 9.5% average, suggesting absenteeism is concentrated at the high school level. Ultimately, New Kent High is a high-performing, rapidly improving school that serves as the sole academic hub for this ZIP code, with its main opportunities for improvement lying in targeted support for 9th-grade Biology, 11th-grade VA/US History, and reducing chronic absenteeism.
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