Schools in Zip Code 23148

Zip code 23148, located in the rural community of Saint Stephens Church, Virginia, contains just one school: Lawson-Marriott Elementary, a public school serving grades PK through 6 as part of King and Queen County Public Schools. With 178 students, this is a small, tight-knit school environment where class sizes are notably favorable, with a student-teacher ratio of 11:1.

As the only school in the zip code, Lawson-Marriott Elementary is the focal point of the area's education. The school serves a student body with a very high economic disadvantage rate—its free/reduced lunch rate of 102.25% suggests nearly all families qualify for assistance, likely through a community eligibility provision. Despite these challenges, the school posted a chronic absenteeism rate of 13.7% in 2024-2025, which is better than both the district's 21.1% rate and the state's 14.8% average. The school has been steadily improving its statewide ranking, moving from the 8th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 15th percentile in 2025-2026, though it remains in the lower quarter of Virginia elementary schools. Per-student spending is $9,031.

Academically, Lawson-Marriott Elementary shows a mixed picture. The school's strongest area is 4th grade, where reading proficiency reached 72.22% in 2025-2026—nearly matching the state average of 73.70%—and Virginia Studies proficiency hit 72.22%, actually exceeding the state average of 70.52%. The most significant concern is 5th grade math, where only 26.09% of students were proficient, a staggering 46 points below the state average. A similar weakness appears in 5th grade science, with 45.45% proficiency compared to the state's 68.75%. Because grade-level cohorts are small (roughly 20-25 students), a single student's performance can shift proficiency rates by several points, so year-to-year swings should be interpreted cautiously. Overall, Lawson-Marriott Elementary is showing gradual progress and has a strong foundation in its favorable student-teacher ratio and good attendance, but targeted math intervention in the upper elementary grades will be critical for continued improvement.