Summary:
ZIP code 23236, located in North Chesterfield, VA, is served entirely by Chesterfield County Public Schools and contains five schools — four elementary schools (PK–5) and one high school (9–12), with no middle schools — enrolling 4,274 students total.
The clear academic standout is W.W. Gordon Elementary, which ranks in the 96th percentile statewide (#42 of 1,111) with roughly 94% math and 89% reading proficiency, plus the lowest chronic absenteeism (9.3%) and far lower poverty (17.7% free/reduced-price lunch) than its peers. In contrast, A.M. Davis Elementary (26th percentile) and Providence Elementary (20th percentile) sit in the bottom quarter of Virginia elementary schools, with proficiency mostly in the low 60s. Reams Road Elementary is the most improved school, climbing from the 21st to 37th percentile, and its 5th grade science score (75.6%) now exceeds district and state averages. Monacan High, the ZIP's only secondary school, graduates 92.7% of students and excels in English Reading, Biology, and Geography, but struggles in Geometry (8.3% proficient), Algebra II, and Virginia/U.S. History.
A stark poverty-achievement divide is evident: W.W. Gordon enrolls just 17.7% economically disadvantaged students while the other four schools range from 73.9% to 77.1%. Notably, the lower-performing elementary schools actually spend more per pupil ($9,044–$9,444 vs. $7,411 at Gordon) and have smaller class sizes (11.0–12.3 vs. 16.5), showing that extra resources have not yet closed the achievement gap. Chronic absenteeism is moderate, with Reams Road highest at 16.4%. Encouragingly, most schools are improving — Reams Road, A.M. Davis, Monacan, and Gordon all rose in ranking — while Providence has stayed flat or declined. With no middle schools in the ZIP, families should be aware that students likely leave 23236 for middle school before returning to Monacan High.
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