Best Public Schools in Zip Code 23235

Zip code 23235 is served by 5 schools — 3 elementary schools and 2 middle schools, with no high schools — spanning two districts: Chesterfield County Public Schools and Richmond City Public Schools, together enrolling 3,434 students across grades PK–8. The elementary schools are the clear strength of this area. Greenfield Elementary ranks in the 79th percentile statewide (4 stars) with the lowest poverty rate and chronic absenteeism, while posting test scores well above state averages — for example, 88% proficiency in 4th grade math versus 73% statewide. Bon Air Elementary is solidly mid-tier (54th percentile, 3 stars), and J.B. Fisher Elementary, though in a low-ranked district, has improved from the 27th to the 41st percentile and now outperforms its district by wide margins in reading, math, and science.

The middle schools are the biggest concern. Manchester Middle (10th percentile) and Providence Middle (9th percentile) both sit in the bottom 10% of Virginia middle schools, with chronic absenteeism above 22% and grade-level math proficiency far below state averages — for 8th grade math, just 15% and 25% respectively. Yet both schools show exceptional results in advanced coursework: Manchester has 100% proficiency in 7th grade Algebra I and 96% in Geometry, suggesting a strong accelerated track for a select group while most students struggle. The sharp drop from strong elementary performance to weak middle school performance is a major red flag, as is the widening gap between advanced and grade-level students.

Overall, 23235 is a zip code of contrasts: high-poverty schools dominate, with four of five schools reporting 75% or higher free/reduced lunch eligibility, and the only exception, Greenfield, is also the highest-performing school. Poverty is not destiny — Bon Air Elementary has similar poverty to the middle schools but much better attendance and elementary test scores, and J.B. Fisher Elementary is improving despite challenging demographics. With no high schools in the zip code, families should look to feeder schools outside 23235 for the next stage, and any strategic improvement effort should target the elementary-to-middle transition, middle school attendance, and expanding advanced course access beyond the current high-performing few.