Best Public Schools in Zip Code 23227

ZIP code 23227 contains 8 schools — 3 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 3 high schools — that together serve 4,289 students across two Virginia districts, Henrico County Public Schools and Richmond City Public Schools, in a high-poverty area where most schools rank in the bottom quarter of the state. District-level rankings differ, with Henrico County Public Schools ranked 90th and Richmond City Public Schools ranked 118th of 131 districts, but individual school performance here doesn't always follow the district pattern. Overall, the ZIP code struggles with chronic absenteeism at about 17.5%, above the state average of 14.8%.

Linwood Holton Elementary is the clear standout: it ranks in the 63rd percentile statewide — the only school in the ZIP code above the 20th percentile — and posts near- or above-state proficiency in 3rd grade math (82%) and 4th grade reading (84%) despite serving a very high-poverty population, with just 7.1% chronic absenteeism. By contrast, Chamberlayne Elementary has fallen from the 42nd to the 9th percentile in two years, including a dramatic drop in 5th grade math from 79% to 53%. L. Douglas Wilder Middle shows another unusual pattern: near-perfect pass rates in advanced Algebra I and Geometry, but only 23–37% proficiency in grade-level math. John Marshall High has a perfect 100% graduation rate and 0% dropouts, yet ranks at the 7th percentile with proficiency rates well below the state in Geometry, Writing, and Biology.

Chronic absenteeism is a powerful red flag in this area: Frances W. McClenney Elementary has the highest rate at 30% and sits at the 2nd percentile, while Henrico High's 26.2% absenteeism coincides with a low graduation rate and weak state ranking. Higher spending doesn't guarantee better results — McClenney spends $15,274 per student, while higher-performing Holton spends just $11,861. Richmond Career Education and Employment Charter School serves only 32 students with a 3:1 student-teacher ratio and the highest per-pupil spending at $24,696, but has no current achievement data to judge. For parents, the picture is mixed: one excellent elementary option, a handful of struggling schools, and several where attendance and grade-level proficiency are serious concerns.