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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 23224

At a glance

Schools

3,640

Students

Top rankedJ.L. Francis Elementary988^th of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Cardinal Elementary up 54 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Swansboro Elementary 10.3 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

1★

0★

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Summary:

ZIP code 23224 in Richmond, Virginia is served by 6 schools in the Richmond City Public Schools district: 5 elementary schools (PK–5) and 1 middle school (6–8), with no high schools in the ZIP code. All schools serve extremely high-poverty populations, with free/reduced lunch eligibility between 98.0% and 99.63%, and the district ranks 118 out of 131 Virginia divisions. Total enrollment is 3,640 students, ranging from 172 at Swansboro Elementary to 1,150 at River City Middle.

J.L. Francis Elementary stands out academically, posting 81.82% proficiency in 5th grade math, above the district (55.43%) and state (72.39%). Cardinal Elementary showed the most improvement, jumping from the 2nd to the 11th percentile, with 3rd grade math rising to 70.1%. Swansboro Elementary, the smallest school, has the lowest chronic absenteeism (12.8%), the lowest student–teacher ratio (10.3), and the highest per-student spending ($21,515). Blackwell Elementary ranks in the 1st percentile with 32.0% chronic absenteeism and just 24.6% 5th grade math proficiency. River City Middle, the only middle school, ranks 412 of 416 Virginia middle schools, though 8th grade Earth Science proficiency is strong at 83.9%.

Chronic absenteeism is a key warning sign: Blackwell's 32.0% rate coincides with the weakest outcomes, while Swansboro and Cardinal have the lowest absenteeism and better results. Spending does not predict performance — Swansboro spends $21,515 per student and Blackwell $18,216, yet both underperform schools spending around $10,000–$11,000. Reading is the most consistent area of need, with most elementary scores between 27% and 52% and middle school reading near 40%, far below the state average near 73%. The middle school transition is a major drop-off point, highlighted by 0% proficiency in 7th grade math at River City Middle. Still, elementary math offers genuine bright spots, and the variation among schools with similar poverty levels suggests school-level leadership, attendance culture, and instructional practices make a meaningful difference.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SOL Geometry (2026)	SOL Algebra I (2026)		SOL Mathematics (2026)						SOL Science (2026)		SOL Earth Science (2026)	SOL English Reading (2026)						SOL Civics and Economics (2026)	SOL VA Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Blackwell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	300 E. 15th Street	Richmond	23224	Richmond city	Richmond City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 780-5078	420	21	20.3	98.8%	10 (2.4%)	323 (76.9%)	71 (16.9%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.1%)	2.1	1099^th of 1111 public elementary schools	1.1%		1.6	1102^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	0.7%	3				32.9	42.9	24.6				26.1			37.0	42.9	34.8					47.6	$18,216	$1,487	$16,728
Cardinal Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1745 Catalina Dr	Richmond	23224	Richmond city	Richmond City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 780-5082	821	52	15.7	99.6%	12 (1.5%)	92 (11.2%)	709 (86.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	4 (0.5%)	14.8	991^st of 1111 public elementary schools	10.8%		7.9	1045^th of 1110 public elementary schools	5.9%	54				70.1	57.4	62.7				50.0			49.6	43.4	39.8					41.1	$10,372	$443	$9,930
Swansboro Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3160 Midlothian Tnpk	Richmond	23224	Richmond city	Richmond City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 780-5030	172	17	10.3	98.3%	7 (4.1%)	114 (66.3%)	46 (26.7%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.7%)	5.2	1068^th of 1111 public elementary schools	3.9%		19	942^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	15.1%	126				55.9	52.8	40.7				33.3			27.3	42.9	38.5					47.2	$21,515	$1,645	$19,870
J.L. Francis Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5146 Snead Rd	Richmond	23224	Richmond city	Richmond City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 745-3702	526	37	14.2	99.2%	29 (5.5%)	188 (35.7%)	289 (54.9%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.0%)	14.9	988^th of 1111 public elementary schools	11.1%		20	928^th of 1110 public elementary schools	16.4%	60				56.4	43.0	81.8				55.7			39.8	41.0	51.9					21.5	$11,278	$541	$10,737
Oak Grove/Bellemeade Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2409 Webber Avenue	Richmond	23224	Richmond city	Richmond City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 780-5008	551	36	15.4	98.0%	9 (1.6%)	310 (56.3%)	220 (39.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.6%)	5.1	1073^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	3.4%		2.7	1094^th of 1110 public elementary schools	1.4%	21				55.2	37.5	41.9				48.7			45.8	31.8	48.0					29.9	$11,716	$1,109	$10,607
River City Middle	Public	6-8	6300 Hull Street Rd	Richmond	23224	Richmond city	Richmond City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 272-7554	1,150	93	12.3	99.0%	31 (2.7%)	377 (32.8%)	717 (62.3%)	8 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (1.3%)	2	412^th of 416 public middle schools	1.0%		0.4	417^th of 419 public middle schools	0.5%	5	44.0	80.8	56.6				28.5	0.0	14.5		13.1	83.9				37.4	38.9	41.2	46.7		$10,358	$657	$9,701

Cities Near Zip Code 23224

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Richmond	0.38 mi	114	310^th
North Chesterfield	2.57 mi	19	332^nd
Chesterfield	3.07 mi	14	270^th
Bon Air	5.24 mi	1	171^st
Henrico	5.71 mi	2

See the top VA Virginia cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.